Vote fraud charges require examination: Medvedev
December 7th, 2011 - 5:45 am ICT by IANSMoscow, Dec 7 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Complaints of irregularities in Russia’s parliamentary elections need to be investigated but videos purporting to show fraud were not incontestable proof of cheating, President Dmitry Medvedev has said.
“As is customary following release of voting results, there must naturally be a judgement made on all violations” claimed during the vote, Medvedev said Tuesday.
However, the appearance of videos on various websites and social networks claiming to show evidence of vote-tampering does not in itself provide “incontestable” evidence of wrongdoing, the Russian president said.
“It is wrong to draw conclusions about whether the elections were clean or dirty on the basis of such evidence. This is not entirely fair,” Medvedev said.
His comments came amid protests in Moscow by opponents and supporters of the ruling United Russia party which has dominated Russian politics for years.
Opponents claim the elections to the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, were marred by massive fraud that resulted in excessive support for United Russia.
They have backed their accusations with videos, most shot on mobile phones and posted on websites and they claim these prove large-scale wrongdoing throughout the vote.
Party supporters have acknowledged there were irregularities by “over-zealous” supporters but not in sufficient numbers to have made any meaningful difference to the outcome. They have asserted that the election was fair overall.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
pm
- Don't meddle in domestic affairs: Medvedev to foreign powers - Dec 07, 2011
- Russian parliamentary polls favoured ruling party: Observers - Jan 24, 2012
- Medvedev urges Russians to vote, 'make right choice' - Dec 02, 2011
- Russians need to register to watch live poll broadcast - Jan 20, 2012
- Russia to hold parliamentary elections Dec 4 - Aug 29, 2011
- No plans for early parliamentary polls : Putin - Mar 02, 2012
- Pro-Kremlin 'response rally' draws 25,000 in Moscow - Dec 12, 2011
- United Russia retains parliamentary majority - Dec 10, 2011
- Medvedev vows to clear ruling party of spoilers - Aug 11, 2012
- Medvedev to make final state-of-the-nation address - Dec 22, 2011
- Anti-Putin protests sweep across Russia - Dec 10, 2011
- Medvedev to be elected as ruling party leader - May 26, 2012
- US encouraging Russian opposition, says Putin - Dec 08, 2011
- Moscow authorises opposition rally - Jan 26, 2012
- Russia's election chief declines to resign - Jan 06, 2012
Tags: accusations, dmitry medvedev, excessive support, fraud charges, house of parliament, incontestable evidence, irregularities, massive fraud, meaningful difference, parliamentary elections, party supporters, ria novosti, russian politics, russian president, social networks, state duma, vote fraud, vote tampering, voting results, wrongdoing