Out of the 72 reports on offences received throughout the whole period of the nationwide elections in the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), a decision has been rendered to institute criminal cases regarding 18 of them. This is stated in the statement issued by the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Artsakh today. The statement particularly states the following:

“Out of the cases presented in the 72 reports, 32 were recorded in Stepanakert, 11 in Martakert region, 11 in Martuni region, 7 in Shushi region, 2 in Kashatagh, Hadrut and Askeran regions each, and the alleged violations presented in 5 reports were general and concerned violations committed in different regions.

The electoral violations examined and still being examined by law-enforcement authorities and the alleged criminal and other offences related to electoral processes have been distributed in the following way:

(1) 9 cases regarding electoral bribe;

(2) 3 cases regarding damage to posters placed during election campaign;

(3) 2 cases regarding use of administrative resources;

(4) 1 case regarding obstruction of the activities of a journalist;

(5) 1 case of defaming and offending a person participating in the election campaign;

(6) 5 cases regarding obstruction of election campaign;

(7) 8 cases of pressure on expression of free will of a voter;

(8) 21 cases regarding violation of confidentiality of vote;

(9) 4 cases regarding obstruction of exercise of the powers of a member of the electoral commission, journalist or observer;

(10) 2 cases regarding campaigning during the period in which campaigning was prohibited;

(11) 10 cases regarding voting instead of another person;

(12) 5 cases regarding absence of seal on ballot boxes or violation of integrity of seal;

(13) 1 case regarding failure by the police to release the main and additional lists of voters.

Further information about subsequent reports and the results of consideration of those reports will be provided later.”