We, the members of the platform "No To Phobia” are addressing the Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission of Georgia regarding the political union "Patriot Alliance”, that violates the procedures of the Election Code of Georgia and we ask for compiling a protocol on administrative violation. Namely, we believe that on September 22, 2016 the "Media Union Obieqtivi” and the Public Broadcaster of Georgia have aired election video for the "Patriot Alliance”, which is xenophobic and intentionally instigates ethnic hatred, thus violating the Election Code of Georgia.

In the video under discussion, the leader of the political union – David Tarkhan-Mouravi, the same person who has few days ago described Turkey as the occupant and the hostile state actor for Georgia, promises the voters: "We should not forget, that Saakashvili Regime has created greenhouse warm conditions for the Turks. Yes, the Turks. He was preparing and is still preparing Batumi to be handed over to Turks.”He calls on his supporters to gather on October 1, 2016 in Batumi to protest the "handover of Batumi to Turks”.

The afore-mentioned political advertisement is clearly and unequivocally aggressive towards the Turkish People, with which the political party is trying to create an image of an enemy, while fighting against this enemy is presented as one of the core aims of the political party in question.

In general, the members of the political union "Patriot Alliance” are characterized with racist and xenophobic statements made in public, while the rate of their Turkophobic and racist statements have accelerated even more during the pre-election period, which is also reflected in the propaganda materials of the party.

We, the signatory organizations to this statement, call upon the Chairwoman of the CEC to examine the fact of violation of the Paragraph 3 of Article 45 of the Election Code of Georgia, which is an administrative violation foreseen by the same Law, Article 79, and to petition to the court to recognize the political subject as standing inviolation of the Law and to penalize them. 

Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI)

Media Development Fund (MDF)

Tolerance and Diversity Institute (TDI)

LGBT Georgia

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy

Transparency International – Georgia (TI)

Human Rights Teaching and Monitoring Center (EMC)