Russian Election Commission Chief Says 11 Criminal Cases Opened Over Vote-Related Breaches

Russian Election Commission Chief Says 11 Criminal Cases Opened Over Vote-Related Breaches

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th September, 2019) Eleven criminal cases have been opened and 3,654 reports have been sent to the Russian Interior Ministry regarding incidents related to election campaign violations, Ella Pamfilova, the Russian Central Election Commission chairwoman, said on Monday.

On September 8, municipal and regional elections were held across Russia. Voters were electing 16 heads of regions via direct vote, as well as legislative assembly lawmakers in 13 Russian Federal subjects.

"Altogether, the Interior Ministry's local branches have received 3,654 reports concerning incidents related to election campaign [breaches] ... Currently the decision has been made regarding the received messages, 11 criminal cases have been opened, two during [the last] 24 hours," Pamfilova said.

She specified that four cases were opened in Moscow, one in the Republic of Tuva, one in the Novosibirsk Region, one in Kamchatka Krai, one in the Republic of Tatarstan, two in Krasnodar Krai and one in the Kurgan Region.

"All in all, the [election] campaign has been quiet. Of course, I do not rule out the appearance of additional information, maybe some sort of incident somewhere; we will react immediately," the chairwoman added.

The single election day was instituted in 2005 to streamline the electoral process. In 2012, the first Sunday of September was chosen to be a fixed date for it.