The Russian opposition denounced fraud during the second day of parliamentary elections: “The main problem is the forced vote”

Communists denounce fraud on Saturday, the second day of parliamentary elections in Russia, while the alternative list of candidates proposed from prison by the opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, suffered another severe setback by being blocked on social media again.

“There are a number of absolutely scandalous facts on which action must be taken immediately “said Gennadi Zyuganov, the leader of the Communist Party of Russia (RCP).

Although the Central Election Commission (CEC) admitted the complaints in writing, the Kremlin Party, United Russia, fearing that the scenario of 2011 could repeat itself – the official fraud provoked the biggest protests since the fall of the USSR – was quick to deny any manipulation.

Fraud reports in Europe and Siberia

Ziouganov, whose party is the second with the highest representation in the Duma or lower house, he approached the CEC to close schools where serious violations have taken place with the help of the members of the polling station.

His party questioned the “cleanliness” of the ballot after registering numerous irregularities in the regions of Moscow, Bryansk, Samara and Saratov, as well as in Siberia and the Russian Far East.

“They filed a written complaint. We will study it (…) and make an irrevocable decision», Replied Nikolai Buláev, deputy head of the CEC.

According to the Golos organization, which monitors the rights of voters, the main problem of “national scale” so far is the forced voting, in reference to the military and civil servants, in addition to the purchase of votes and manipulation of home voting.

The president of the CEC, Ella Pamfílova, assured that the electoral system “is so transparent that any event outside the legal framework (…) is revealed”.

He admitted having received 137 forced voting complaints half of the regions of this country and announced the cancellation of more than six thousand ballots.

Communists threaten to demonstrate

Ziuganov warned that the The PCR alerted all party structures to take to the streets to protest if necessary, Although in this country, demonstrations have been banned for a year and a half due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have filed a (protest) request since Monday 20, now, a whole week, ”he insisted.

Allegations of pro-United Russia fraud in December 2011 sparked the biggest wave of protests in post-Soviet history, which in turn led to an unprecedented police and judicial crackdown on opposition protests.

For him, United Russia was quick to refute the accusations today and denounce the existence of a fake news and video factory in the Ástraján region. “In total, 1.5% of offenses were detected,” said Sergei Perminov, Deputy Secretary General of the ruling party.

At the same time, the head of electoral control of the Public Chamber, Maxim Grigoriev, assured that “the overwhelming majority” of Golos’ complaints are “false”.

Navalny’s list blocked

Communists are the main beneficiaries of the alternative list of more than 1,200 candidates proposed by Navalny as part of the initiative “Smart vote”, which is to support candidates with more options to topple United Russia.

The problem is that if this application had already been blocked this week by Google and Apple, today it was the turn of Russian encrypted messaging. Telegram.

The blockade, which its founder Pavel Dúrov considered it justified because it is not possible to campaign during the vote, he felt very bad for the extra-parliamentary opposition, which even spoke of treason.

“Google has been threatened with legal action against its employees, but No one asked Telegram. He did it on purpose. It’s unfortunate of Pavel. In 2018, we took to the streets to defend him “when the authorities wanted to ban the service,” Daniil Markelov, a candidate banned in Siberia for his links with Navalni, told Efe.

Besides, Google also demanded today that you remove the “Smart Vote” links in Google documents., the only links still available, as well as three videos from Navalny’s YouTube channel. Russian communications regulator Roskomnadzor has already asked Google’s video service to remove them.

“The authorities are afraid, because with his Navalny list marks the information agenda even in prison. They can block, but we will always find a technological alternative, ”added Markelov.

Donbass also votes

According to the CEC, more than 25% of the census had voted in the middle of the second day of the Russian legislatures, which will end on Sunday and in which the inhabitants of the Ukrainian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk can participate for the first time.

As the local press reports, dozens of buses with citizens of Ukrainian Donbass with Russian passports arrived this Saturday by bus in the neighboring region of Rostov vote in parliamentary elections, which Kiev considers illegal.

Some voters even received the Russian passport right outside the polling stations, the channel reported Dojd.

Regarding their electoral preferences, they assured that they will vote for “the bear party”, in reference to United Russia.

With information from the EFE

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