SILBA Press Announcement – Russian State Duma Election
December 4th 2011
(Scroll for Russian version)
SILBA has conducted election observation during the State Duma Elections in the Russian
Federation,December 4th 2011.
SILBA concludes the State Duma elections to be not free and unfair to such an extent that
we are in deep concern of the validity of the official results.
We have experienced four major tendencies towards election fraud:
SILBA observed serious indicators of ballot frauds. We observed many buses around
overcrowded polling stations. We have seen voters voting repetitively. The election code
allows voters to register several times in different districts.
SILBA observed that the voting in general was not anonymous. At almost every polling
station,voters signed their ballots at tables easy to see for everyone present.
SILBA observed massive presence of police at the polling stations and in several polling
stations the police even watched what was voted.
Exept from in Belarusian elections,this election offered the poorest conditions ever
experienced by SILBA observers. SILBA did not receive accreditation from the CEC of
Russia. However,the public was allowed to polling stations from 08.00 to 20.00. Therefore
only one of 12 teams was allowed to observe the counting of the votes. Election
commission members threatened SILBA observers and warned other polling stations about
SILBA observers soon to arrive.
SILBA observed elections in the greater Saint Petersburg area. 52 observers in 12 teams;36
Danes,14 Belarusians,three Poles and one Kyrgyzstani covered more than 270 polling
stations on our short term mission. SILBA observed the elections on the election day only.
Thus,this SILBA conclusion does not take into account any possible long term violations
regarding election campaigns,political or media environment.
Please find further information at the SILBA website:www.silba.dk
Please see photos from the SILBA election observation on SILBAs Facebook profile
Russian version- SILBA Press Announcement about the Russian State Duma Elections December 2011