Training for EPDE observers in Tbilisi
From 21-24 March two EPDE trainings for more than 40 observers from seven countries have taken place in Tbilisi, Georgia. The trainings aims were to strengthen the capacities of the EPDE member organizations in the work with volunteers and to maintain security standards in the area of internet communication. The trainings were organized by […]
Further restrictions against citizens’ election observation in Russia
In the run-up to the parliamentary elections in Russia which are to be held in mid-September 2016, the government controlled parliament introduced new amendments to the election related legislation which further limits the rights of citizens’ observers to freely monitor the voting process. According to the new amendment, domestic observers are not able to conduct […]
Local Elelctions in Ukraine: a view from outside
The purpose of this report is: (1) To review international standards on the right to universal and equal suffrage and find out if this right encompasses the corresponding rights of IDPs too; (2) To examine the practices of those countries which managed to ensure the right to political participation for IDPs and can be considered […]
Local Elelctions in Ukraine: a view from outside. Arkadiy Liubarev
On October 25, Ukraine held elections to regional, district, city, town, and village councils, as well as elections of heads of cities, towns, and villages. Elections of regional, district, and city councils used what is, for Ukraine, a new version of the proportional election system, in which political party lists are divided into parts corresponding […]
Training for EPDE observers in Tbilisi
Between 21 and 24 March 2016, around 40 EPDE observers will take part in two training sessions organized by the EPDE member International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy ISFED in Tbilisi, Georgia. The trainings will focus on the volunteer networking and the internet data security.
Ukrainian EPDE members CVU and Opora publish expert reports
Civic Network Opora and the Committee of Voters of Ukraine together with the international EPDE experts published four analysis on the conditions for democratic elections in Ukraine. Arkadii Lubarev from the Association Golos, Moscow, analyzed the implication of the new local election law. Steffen Halling from the Berlin based German Institute for International and […]
Citizens’ observers demand transparent drafting of new election law in Armenia
Citizen’s election observers urge the Armenian authorities to safeguard transparency of the process of drafting the new election law and to include all relevant experts, representatives of the civil society and the political parties in the process. The authorities should establish an updated voter register and provide proper voter lists, cancel undue restrictions of […]
Anar Mammadli pardoned after almost 2,5 years in prison
On 17 March 2016, Anar Mammadli, EPDE board member and the Director of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS), based in Baku, Azerbaijan, was pardoned by the president Aliev along with a number of high profile political prisoners. Mammadli was imprisoned on 16 December 2013 following EMDS critical report documenting massiv fraud during […]
Belarus: HRDFE offers support to the CEC on the implementation of the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations
In a proposal presented to the Central Election Commission of Belarus (CEC), the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections (HRDFE), an initiative of the EPDE members Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center Viasna, suggest a number of steps to implement the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR to ensure democratic conduct of the future elections […]
Parliamentary elections in Slovakia, 5 March 2016: EPDE press release
The European Platform for Democratic Elections Press release Parliamentary Elections Slovak Republic, 5 March 2016 General Information From 1st till 7th March 2016, 50 EPDE monitors from Poland, Russia, Azerbaijan, Germany, Lithuania, Sweden and Ukraine observed the last stage of the parliamentary election in Slovakia scheduled on 5 March 2016. The monitoring group […]