“Picking up the photocopy of the passport is just the beginning; then the [telephone] calls begin. Introducing themselves as being from the RPA [campaign] headquarters, they say they have information that you will vote for the RPA and ask you to confirm—to promise—that you truly will vote for them.
They say it is necessary to confirm or not to confirm, because they are making some ‘notes.’ Then they politely ask your permission to again ‘bother’ you.
‘Bothering’ with [telephone] calls until the elections is a form of psychological pressure. Everything starts with giving the passport, and many resort to this ‘safe’ step either from the fear of losing their job or out of fear, in general,” Yerkir writes.
