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2008 Assessment

Kyrgyz Republic: Integrity Indicators Scorecard

Kyrgyz Republic: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Election Integrity
Indicators		Score
17	Is there an election monitoring agency or set of election monitoring agencies/entities?	100
18	Is the election monitoring agency effective?	50
19	Are elections systems transparent and effective?	63

Indicator and sub-Indicator Details

Is there an election monitoring agency or set of election monitoring agencies/entities?

17: In law, is there an election monitoring agency or set of election monitoring agencies/entities?

Score:

YES

Comments: The Central Commission on Elections and Referendums.

References: The Election Code of the Kyrgyz Republic. www.shailoo.gov.kg

Is the election monitoring agency effective?

18a: In law, the agency or set of agencies/entities is protected from political interference.

Score:

YES

Comments: The Central Election Commission is legally separated, but in practice staffed by partisans.

References: The Law on the Central Election Commission.

18b: In practice, agency (or set of agencies/entities) appointments are made that support the independence of the agency.

Score:

100

Comments: Members of election commissions are usually government employees (teachers, medical doctors, social workers). This situation makes them dependent on the government.

References: Final report of Taza Shailoo: Associations on Monitoring of Pre-Term Parliament Elections, December 16, 2007. [ LINK ]

OSCE assessment of the Kyrgyz Republic Election Code, Warsaw, July 7, 2007.

18c: In practice, the agency or set of agencies/entities has a professional, full-time staff.

Score:

100

Comments: Election commission members are nonprofessional, volunteer staff, except the chairpersons of the regional commissions and the city of Bishkek's commissions. Usually they given only a short training before elections.

References: Final report of Taza Shailoo Associations on monitoring of pre-term parliament elections 16 December, 2007 [ LINK ]

OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Election Observation Mission.

The Kyrgyz Republic Pre-term Parliamentary Elections, 2007.

18d: In practice, the agency or set of agencies/entities makes timely, publicly available reports following an election cycle.

Score:

100

Comments: Important information is missing in the last report of the Central Election Committee. Mandates of new members of parliament were distributed before the official reporting of election results.

References: Kyrgyz Opposition Queries Election Figures, by Gulnara Mambetalieva in Bishkek, (RCA No. 537, March 12, 2008).

Final report of Taza Shailoo Associations on monitoring of pre-term parliament elections 16 December, 2007 [ LINK ]

18e: In practice, when necessary, the agency or set of agencies/entities imposes penalties on offenders.

Score:

100

Comments: The agency is selective with enforcement of rules. For instance, Mr. Edil Baisalov, an opposition Social Democrat party (SDPK) candidate, was de-registered as a candidate and excluded as a member by an advisory vote of the CEC and by two CEC resolutions dated December 4.

De-registration of Mr. Baisalov was triggered by an image of a ballot that appeared on Mr. Baisalovs Internet blog. The CEC argued that Mr. Baisalov had revealed the security features of the ballots and, by this act, obstructed the conduct of the elections. At the same time, campaigning by the local administration in favor of the President's party, Ak Jol, was observed by the OSCE/ODIHR EOM in some instances. Campaign material in favor of Ak Jol, in the form of flags, posters and leaflets, was observed on the official premises of local authorities and election administrations.

References: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Election Observation Mission.

The Kyrgyz Republic Pre-term Parliamentary Elections, 2007.

Are elections systems transparent and effective?

19a: In practice, there is a clear and transparent system of voter registration.

Score:

100

Comments: Voters have no sufficient time to correct errors before voting. Some Precinct Electoral Commissions were observed to be closed during working hours. One political party expressed its concerns to the OSCE/ODIHR mission about the registration of voters in Batken region.

References: Final report of Taza Shailoo: Associations on Monitoring of Pre-Term Parliament Elections, December 16, 2007. [ LINK ]

19b: In law, election results can be contested through the judicial system.

Score:

YES

Comments:

References: The Election Code, General Part, Article 55.

Peer Review Comments: Yes, but those in the judicial system are appointed and work for the President.

19c: In practice, election results can be effectively appealed through the judicial system.

Score:

100

Comments: Some of the court decisions were politically motivated and contrary to the principles of the Rule of Law. Courts were not able to consider all appeals by the day of election; they were not ready for these.

References: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Election Observation Mission.

The Kyrgyz Republic Pre-term Parliamentary Elections, 2007. [ LINK ]

Final report of Taza Shailoo: Associations on Monitoring of Pre-Term Parliament Elections, December 16, 2007. [ LINK ]

19d: In practice, the military and security forces remain neutral during elections.

Score:

100

Comments: Police officers were used to block ballots from observers during counting of ballots. In some places, police take out the independent observers from precincts when the counting starts..

References: Final report of Taza Shailoo: Associations on Monitoring of Pre-Term Parliament Elections, December 16, 2007. [ LINK ]

19e: In law, domestic and international election observers are allowed to monitor elections.

Score:

YES

Comments: Foreign (international) observers have to be accredited at the Central Election Commission before elections. Domestic observers are proposed by candidates.

References: Election Code, Article 17.

Peer Review Comments: This year they were not allowed, because the Central Election Commission (CEC) was unwilling to invite them.

19f: In practice, election observers are able to effectively monitor elections.

Score:

100

$Scoring Criteria :: 100 Score Criteria: Election observers have unfettered access to polling sites, counting stations, and voters themselves. The government does not interfere with the observers\' activities. <p>50 Score Criteria: Election observers generally have access to polling sites, counting stations, and voters but encounter restrictions in certain areas. The government may impose burdensome regulatory or bureaucratic requirements on observers to discourage their involvement. <p>0 Score Criteria: Election observers\' movements are significantly limited by the government and many polling and counting sites are restricted or barred from observers. The government imposes so many bureaucratic or regulatory burdens on the observers that their mission is rendered ineffective.$

Comments: Observers were restricted from monitoring the ballot-counting process.

References: Final report of Taza Shailoo: Associations on Monitoring of Pre-Term Parliament Elections, December 16, 2007. [ LINK ]

OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Election Observation Mission.

The Kyrgyz Republic Pre-term Parliamentary Elections, 2007.