Report from CIVIL’s election monitoring, processed reports until 4.00 pm
CIVIL announces that it is in constant contact with citizens from whom many telephone calls arrive and messages related to the election process. Experienced observers or legal experts answer every question, while reports on irregularities are processed and become part of the organization’s monitoring. At these elections as well, CIVIL is part of what is called civil observation in the real sense of the word and has expressed its gratitude many times for the support and trust.
VIOLATION OF ELECTION SILENCE
CIVIL’s monitoring team is monitoring the election silence that went into effect at midnight between Friday and Saturday, October 29 and 30. Of the processed reports from the ground until 4.00 pm (October 30), several cases are singled out. The number of cases of violation of election silence is far greater. More details will be announced at the press conference on Sunday, October 31, starting at 10.00 am.
Ohrid, online portal
On Friday night into Saturday, October 30, 2021, in the first minute after the start of the election silence, an internet portal violated the election silence, contrary to the Electoral Code, by reporting live on the social networks and on the website about alleged activities of pre-election vote-buying in Ohrid.
In the live reporting, two persons who bring out content for several traditional and online media, pointed out members of a political party as organizers of alleged vote-buying. Although the party was not directly named, the two persons talked about its party colors and made a description with a clear depiction with which they revealed the identity of the indicated political party. This represents violation of the rules for media reporting during election silence and violation of Article 76-B of the Electoral Code.
Violation of the election silence is noted also by several other online media outlets that have published names of political parties or candidates, namely, photo or video content in which it is obvious which party or candidate it is about.
It is contrary to Article 76-B of the Electoral Code.
Kapistec, Skopje
Around 1 hour after midnight, CIVIL’s teams determined violation of election silence at several places in the Skopje neighbourhood of Kapistec. Flyers with propaganda content in the election context were hung on doors of many apartments in the buildings.
CIVIL’s monitoring disposes with photos and testimonies from citizens that confirm that it is a matter of violation of the election silence, an hour after it went into effect.
Social networks
Certain political parties violate the election silence in that some Facebook pages and profiles that are under their control carry out propaganda. Even though it concerns social networks that are not subject to strict legal provisions and concerns Facebook pages that are not officially under their competence, it is clear that it is a matter of propaganda in elections silence.
HATE SPEECH
During election silence, cases of hate speech against certain political entities are also noted. CIVIL’s analysis shows that it is about supporters and members of certain political parties that in an organized manner post messages and comments with hate speech against politically not like-minded. Some of the messages of the social networks contain calls for violence as well.
The monitoring also notes one case of a message with vulgar insults and hate speech against a representative of CIVIL, in a post on a Facebook page that is known as a creator of disinformation and hate speech.
But the attacks of this Facebook page against CIVIL do not stop here.
In a longer post on one Facebook page, known for its hate speech and disinformation and which openly leads a black campaign in favour of a certain political party, notorious untruths are expressed, manipulations, insulting speech on ethnic grounds, hate speech against representatives of the organization and threats against its observers.
The purpose of this extremely inhumane attack against a civil society organization for human rights is to put pressure on the organization and its members and to hinder its work, as well as to harm the reputation and trust that the organization enjoys in the public in the country and in the world.
VIOLATION OF THE SECRECY OF THE VOTE
CIVIL’s observers report a case of violation of the secrecy of the vote in a municipality in the eastern part of the country.
A voter, a person registered to vote on Saturday, October 30, was given a ballot, but was not allowed to vote secretly, with the explanation that this person “might photograph the ballot”. The person was allowed to vote at the entrance of the place in a manner that the member of the election board had complete insight into how the citizen voted.
How to report election irregularities to CIVIL?
Election irregularities such as pressure, vote-buying, abuses, problems with the Voters List, violation of the election silence, hate speech, namely, everything that citizens believe is not in accordance to their understanding of free, fair and democratic elections, can be reported to CIVIL.
Reports can be submitted on the website slobodniizbori.info or in a Citizen application, which can easily be found by clicking on the banner Stop fake news and hate speech on the internet portal civilmedia.mk.
In addition, irregularities can be reported at the following email ([email protected]), in a message on CIVIL’s Facebook page or at the following telephone numbers: 02 / 5209 176 (on Sunday, from 7.00 am) and 070 699 580 (Saturday, October 30, from 12.30 pm).
reportING election irregularities to CIVIL
Election irregularities such as pressure, vote-buying, abuses, problems with the Voters List, violation of the election silence, hate speech, namely, everything that citizens believe is not in accordance to their understanding of free, fair and democratic elections, can be reported to CIVIL.
Reports can be submitted on the website slobodniizbori.info or in a Citizen application, which can easily be found by clicking on the banner Stop fake news and hate speech on the internet portal civilmedia.mk.
In addition, irregularities can be reported at the following email ([email protected]), in a message on CIVIL’s Facebook page or at the following telephone numbers: 02 / 5209 176 (on Sunday, from 7.00 am) and 070 699 580 (Saturday, October 30, from 12.30 pm).
Information that is sent to CIVIL should be accurate and reliable, with all necessary data. Photos and audio/video recordings obtained in an unlawful manner – are not accepted.
PRESS CONFERENCES AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC
CIVIL for the day of the voting in the second round of elections, Sunday, October 31, has announced live programs, with five editions of Election Report during the day, at 10.00 am, 12.00 pm, 3.00 pm, 5.00 pm and at 7.01 pm (immediately after the closing of the polling stations). In the 5.00 pm edition, part of the long-term observers from the ground are planned to be included.
At the first press conference of CIVIL, at 10.00 am, the report from the monitoring of the election silence in the country will be announced.
All press conferences will be broadcast live on CIVIL’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. If there is a need, or at the request of the media, there will also be extraordinary live broadcasts from CIVIL’s press studio. Links for joining through the Zoom platform will also be available for journalists.
With strict compliance to the measures for protection against COVID-19, CIVIL will be open also for physical presence of news teams (a maximum of three at the same time). CIVIL’s press center is located in the “Paloma Bjanka” Business Center and will start to work at 9.00 am, with the preparation for the first press conference at 10.00 am.
CIVIL ON THE GROUND WITH ALMOST 300 MOBILE OBSERVERS
CIVIL will be present on the ground with almost three hundred mobile observers, and during the entire day, starting from 6.00 am and up to midnight, the offices will be open where 30 people will work in four teams: monitoring coordination, receiving and processing of reports from observers, analytics and public relations.
