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English Language Page October 5witnessed voting at the presidential elections in Chechnya. According to official information of the Chechnya Election Commission, 561,817 people are eligible to vote. This number includes nearly 30,000 servicemen permanently stationed in the republic. The estimates of human rights organizations (“Memorial,” Civic Assistance, Moscow Helsinki Group) show that the adult population of Chechnya is less than 300,000 people. 426 polling stations were open for voting. According to the police chief of staff on election security, deputy head of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs, Akhmed Dakaev, elections’ security was ensured by 15,000 policemen and military. On October 2 in Chechnya restrictions were introduced on truck traffic. Limitations on civilian trucks were imposed for the period of October 2–6. Strana.Ru According to the police chief of staff on election security, deputy head of the of the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs, Akhmed Dakaev, on October 5, during the voting, an inhabitant of Assinovskaya village tried to enter polling station #343 carrying a grenade launcher. He refused to obey the order of the police guarding the station and the guards had to use their rifles. The wounded Chechen was detained and his Kalashnikov rifle and a “Mukha” grenade launcher were confiscated. Lenta.Ru; Gazeta.Ru; INTERFAX October 5. International observers, Central Election Commission representatives, State Duma deputies and a large group of journalists arrived in Chechnya to observe the presidential elections. According to Alexander Veshnyakov, Chairman of the RF Central Election Commission, 15 international observers had been accredited to monitor the elections. The delegation of the Council of Mufti of Russia headed by Ismagil Shangareev, Mufti of the Orenburg region, was representing Russian Muslim observers. The delegation also included Zaur Radjabov, expert of the Islamic Human Rights Center, Farid Farisov, Chairman of the Trusteeship Council of the Spiritual Department of the Muslims of the European Part of Russia. kavkaz.memo.ru On October 5some staff members of the public organization “Echo of War” visited several polling stations in the Staropromyslovsky district of the city of Grozny. According to them, the picture they saw was always the same: no people at the voting places, commission members putting packs of ballots into the ballot boxes. Eyewitnesses state that the polling station located in the building of school #26 of the Staropromyslovsky district of the city of Grozny was visited by some 7–8 people between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Chechen Committee for National Salvation On October 5mobile posts of Russian armed forces were out at all crossroads and main thoroughfares of the town of Argun. Each post was reinforced with two-three APCs. In the afternoon the military had a conflict with a group of Kadyrov supporters. After that the feds blocked several streets barring people from moving along the streets. It is not clear how people residing on the blocked streets could fulfil their constitutional duty and take part in the voting. kavkaz.memo.ru On October 5each person who voted in the village of Khanbi-Irze of the Achkhoi-Martan district was given a little present by Russian servicemen at the exit from the polling station. The gift included two packs of tea, two packs of sugar, two packs of biscuits. Everybody was getting a personal gratitude for taking part in the elections. kavkaz.memo.ru On October 5activists of the Transnational Radical Party and the Cathedral Club held an hour-long rally under the slogans: “Chechnya: Provisional Administration of the UN rather than Election Imitation,” “International Protectorate For Chechnya,” “Save the Chechen People,” “Stop Genocide In Chechnya,” “For Peace And Democracy In Chechnya and Russia,” “Europe, Wake Up,” Against Terrorism — Individual and State,” “Presidential Elections in Chechnya — Mockery Over Democracy.” The manifestation involved 15 persons and it went without incidents. The picket managed to collect a score of signatures of passers-by to support the peace plan “For the UN Provisional Administration In Chechnya.” Some pedestrians displayed aggression towards the protesters. However, the police resolutely curbed this activity. kavkaz.memo.ru October 5. Observers from CIS countries staying in Grozny note that the presidential elections are being held well in accordance with generally accepted democratic rules and regulations. Yuri Yarov, Executive Secretary of the CIS who is head of the CIS observer group, stated on Sunday that they had visited several districts of Chechnya and made sure that voters could freely express their will. kavkaz.memo.ru On October 5, 2 p.m. local time, Chair of the Chechen Republic Central Election Commission A.-K. Arsakhanov officially announced the presidential elections in Chechnya to have taken place because 24,000 people voted. This number corresponds to 42.66% of the population. The turnout in Nadterechny district and in the third largest town of Argun exceeded 50%. kavkaz.memo.ru At 8 p.m. on October 5the polling stations in Chechnya were closed. According to the Chechen Republic Election Commission the turnout as of the closing time was 81.4%. Under the law “On the Elections of President of the Chechen Republic,” elections are to be recognized to have taken place if 30% of the registered voters in Chechnya participated in the voting. Strana.Ru Back |
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