Statement on the arbitrary detention of Dr. Sarah Bireete
The European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) strongly condemns the arbitrary detention of Dr. Sarah Bireete and the escalating crackdown on civil society in Uganda ahead of the 15 January 2026 elections. EPDE calls on the Ugandan authorities to immediately and unconditionally release her. EPDE further urges the authorities to guarantee Dr. Bireete’s safety, to […]
GNDEM Expresses Serious Concern about Arrest of Leading Uganda Nonpartisan Citizen Observer and GNDEM Chairperson
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) expresses its serious concern regarding the arrest of Dr. Sarah Bireete in advance of Uganda upcoming general elections on 15 January 2026. Dr. Bireete is a leading Ugandan nonpartisan citizen observer and respected human rights lawyer who is Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG) based in Kampala, Uganda. […]
REM: Electoral expert on preparations for Russia’s 2026 State Duma elections
In 2026, Russia will hold its second most significant electoral event after the presidential vote — elections to the State Duma. At the same time, voters will also elect regional governors (in at least seven regions, including Chechnya), regional legislative assemblies (in 39 regions, including St. Petersburg, the Moscow and Leningrad regions), and city councils […]
2025 Municipal Elections in Georgia: Campaign Finance Analysis
The elections of municipal bodies in Georgia were held on 4 October 2025 amid a boycott by a significant portion of the major opposition political parties. Georgian EPDE member ISFED (International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy) analysed the distribution of official election campaign revenues and expenditures for the 2025 municipal elections. The analysis is […]
Statement by the Viasna Human Rights Center on the release of political prisoners on December 13
The Viasna Human Rights Center welcomes the release of Ales Bialiatski, Uladz Labkovich, and other Belarusian political prisoners on December 13, 2025. This event was the result of long-term, consistent, and principled efforts by the Belarusian society, the international democratic community, international organizations, and diplomacy of the United States of America and European democracies, which for many years have […]
REM: Election Update December 2025
Main political developments in Russia continue to revolve around preparations for the 2026 State Duma campaign. Within the presidential administration, discussions focus on the desired configuration of the party system and the electoral scenarios the Kremlin may pursue. The key source of uncertainty remains Russia’s nearly four-year war against Ukraine and the growing public fatigue — a factor […]
OPORA Presented a Security Audit in 11 Hromadas to Assess the Possibility of Holding Elections
Civil Network OPORA presented the results of monitoring 11 hromadas regarding the possibility of holding elections there. The results were made public during a roundtable discussion titled “Assessing the Security Situation in Hromadas: The First Step Toward Safe Postwar Elections” on December 12. For this study, both large and small hromadas with different levels of […]
Open Letter to delegates at the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption
Distinguished Delegates to the 11th Conference of the States Parties to United Nations Convention against Corruption (Doha, 15 to 19 December 2025): Commit to integrity in the funding of political parties and candidates We, the undersigned domestic and regional networks of election monitoring organisations, democracy and anticorruption civil society and international organisations from across the […]
Human Rights Crisis in Azerbaijan: EU Must Stop Trading Away its Principles
The following statement has been published by the Campaign to End Repression in Azerbaijan: For immediate release: Baku, Brussels, Geneva, 9 December 2025 — Azerbaijan’s geopolitical relevance has grown through its control of energy routes and its balancing act in the oil and gas market. At the same time, the EU shifted from a values-based […]
EPDE Enhances Strategic Capacity with Newly Expanded Board
Berlin, 2.12.2025: The European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE), a network of 17 European citizen election observation organizations, has elected a new Board to guide its work over the next two years. The expanded Board, previously comprising three members, will help the EPDE in addressing the increasingly complex challenges facing democratic elections in Europe today. […]