Глава Центризбиркома РФ Элла Памфилова сообщила о попытках поджогов и порчи ящиков с бюллетенями на 29 избирательных участках в 20 регионах РФ.
Within two incomplete days of voting in the Russian presidential elections, as of early evening on Saturday, March 16, approximately 30 cases of attacks were recorded at polling stations in the country, according to Telegram channel «Important Stories». The attacks involved arson, as well as the damaging of ballots and urns with green paint, ink, and dye.
As reported by the head of the Central Election Commission of Russia, Ella Pamfilova, during a press briefing on March 16, attempts to set fire to or damage ballot boxes occurred at 29 polling stations in 20 regions of Russia. Specifically, eight attempted arsons were recorded, and 214 ballots were irreparably damaged.
«We have analyzed it. We prevented these liquid inflows at 20 polling stations and 8 arson attempts. In one case, they tried to use a smoke bomb,» quoted the TASS news agency as citing Pamfilova. The head of the Central Election Commission called the individuals who committed such violations «ignorant people,» and their «efforts» — «pathetic.»
Pursuing those who damage the electoral urns
On the other hand, the Former President of Russia and Deputy Head of the Security Council of Russia stated that Russians who engage in such actions can be prosecuted for treason and «face twenty years of a special regime.»
Article 141 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation provides for up to five years’ imprisonment for obstructing the work of election commissions using violence.
According to the Telegram channel «Novaya Gazeta Evropa» citing the Investigative Committee of Russia, at least 15 criminal cases were initiated within the past day under the article «obstruction of the work of election commissions».
The first video of ballot stuffing
Meanwhile, Stanislav Andreychuk, co-chair of the «Golos» movement, which conducts independent monitoring of the voting process, has published a video in which, according to him, a member of the election commission, Victoria Gromakova, is seen stuffing a bundle of ballots into the ballot box at polling station №2325 in Krasnodar. Andreychuk pointed out that this was the first video of ballot stuffing this year.
