MEPs ‘deeply worried’ by nationwide crackdown and discriminatory election processes ahead of Presidential election
In a joint statement, MEPs Robert Biedroń, chair of the delegation for relations with Belarus, and Petras Auštrevičius, EP’s standing rapporteur on Belarus, voiced their concerns over the crackdowns on peaceful protesters and civil society activists ahead of the Presidential election and over the discriminatory approach in which territorial election commissions have been composed, with […]
Weekly report: crackdowns against nomination groups and activists
Observation of the presidential election is carried out by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in the framework of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”. SUMMARY as compared to the previous presidential election, this year’s campaign, despite the COVID-19 crisis, is characterized by widespread media and street activity of […]
Situation around Presidential election unconstitutional?
A campaign poster for Andrzej Duda outside a house near Warsaw. Image source: Janek Skarżyński/AFP via Getty Images Statement by the Political Accountability Foundation on amendments to the election law as of May 24, 2020 The Political Accountability Foundation (PAF) would like to express its concern regarding specific provisions included in the Act of […]
Georgia’s electoral system agreement should be implemented without further delay
COVID-19 and the subsequent state of emergency has halted the process of constitutional amendments to introduce a new mixed electoral system ahead of the 2020 Parliamentary election in Georgia. However, now that the state of emergency has been lifted and some of the opposition leaders have been released, which was an important condition of the […]
Armenia explores alternative to referendum on Constitutional Court
Armenia was supposed to hold a referendum on April 5, 2020, on whether to replace 7 of its 9 Constitutional Court judges. The referendum was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now seen as too great a risk to public health to go ahead. Instead of terminating the 7 judges immediately, the government […]
Policy Alert # 2 – Electoral system agreement should be implemented without further delay
Image source: Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock Five months before the 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia, there is still uncertainty over the electoral system under which these elections will take place. While a breakthrough agreement about the system was reached on March 8, 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent state of emergency has halted the process […]
Promo-LEX records lowest rate of party finance reporting to the CEC for 2019 compared to 2014-2018
The civic monitoring of political party financing in 2019, carried out by the Promo-LEX Association, revealed unsettled legislative loopholes, unreported expenses amounting to about 19.02 million lei, as well as a law level of financial reporting to the CEC. Promo-LEX warns about parties’ low level of financial reporting This year, for the first time since 201 4, Promo-LEX found the lowest rate of party financial management annual reporting to […]
Policy Alert # 4 – Armenia explores alternative to referendum on Constitutional Court
Image source: massispost.com Armenia was supposed to hold a referendum on April 5, 2020, on whether to replace 7 of its 9 Constitutional Court judges. The referendum was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now seen as too great a risk to public health to go ahead. An alternative approach has been […]
Administrative arrests and abuse against opposition activists continue amid COVID lockdown regime
A policeman verifies a driver’s permission to be moving around the city in April 2020. Image source: 2020 Azadliq Radiosu/RFERL Background: Most of the quarantine-related restrictions are lifted in Azerbaijan, however partial lock-down is to end on the 31st of May. SMS permit system to leave for outdoors has been cancelled whereas borders remain […]
Report on the formation of territorial election commissions
Observers were unable to attend meetings on the establishment of territorial election commissions (TECs), which were livestreamed in response to COVID-19, but were still difficult for observers to monitor due to the poor quality of some of the livestreams. Most TEC nominees represent six pro-government parties and compared to the previous Presidential election the number […]