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Against electoral fraud in Russia: “Give back Astrakhan to its inhabitants!”

Vybory protest

Vybory protest

On October 11th, local elections were held in many regions of Russia. Voter fraud was so widespread, that for the first time voters took to the streets to express their anger. An appeal to support the “Astrakhan Maidan” tent camp

Context: On October 11th, local elections were held in many regions of Russia. Voter fraud was so widespread, that for the first time, voters took to the streets to express their anger. This is the case, particularly in Moscow, in the republics of Dagestan and Marij-El, in the Toula region and in the town of Astrakhan, where the inhabitants elected their mayor.

Below is the translation of the appeal by Oleg Shein, the opposition candidate who was defeated by the outgoing mayor Sergeï Bojenov, from the incumbent party, “United Russia.” Oleg Shein is a Member of Parliament in the Duma State (the “Fair Russia” division), joint president of the Zachita truda (Work defence) trade union and the Union of inhabitants. He proposed a programme centred on the themes of self-management development (self-management of housing properties by the inhabitants, and the district committee associations in the decision making process), of citizen control, the fight against corruption and the arbitrary nature of power, development and small business.

This appeal is supported by local organisations which supported Oleg Shein as a candidate and effectively, led the election campaign: the Union of Inhabitants of Astrakhan, the Zachita trade union, the retirees’ association, the association of Kazakhs in Astrakhan, the union of small traders of the street markets of Astrakhan, the trade union of small commercial tenant entrepreneurs, the association of collective taxi drivers, the Tartar company Suiumbike, the invalids of the Kirov district association, the Tochka Otcheta (Point of Reference) youth movement, and the “Left Front.”

Astrakhan, the only city in Russia which more than half of the blocks of flats are in collective ownership

It is worth noting that Astrakhan is the only city in Russia where more than half of the blocks of flats are managed by collective ownership. Oleg Shein is the MP who is fighting the most for issues such as the right to housing, and against real estate speculation and private management companies.

The appeal has also been passed on by movements or networks of campaigners from other regions of Russia, particularly the Soviets Coordination Union of Russia (SKS), which is organizing actions in support of the claims by the inhabitants of Astrakhan, who are protesting in the streets of the city everyday for the cancellation of the elections and the organisation of new free and democratic elections.

Oleg Shein to the social movements, trade unions, and left-wing political organisations in Russia and overseas

“Comrades, allies and friends!

On October 11th a criminal coup d’état took place in Astrakhan. Victory was stolen from the inhabitants of Astrakhan, from those residents who think freely and are proof of citizen sense. Their victory was stolen, the possibility to take the their destiny and that of their city was stolen. Following the massive fraud and the use of criminal methods, the incumbent mayor who is affiliated with the “United Russia” party, won the elections with 65% of the votes against 27% of opposition candidate and the social movements, which I represent. These figures are nothing but mere fiction. Even representatives of the incumbent mayor’s clan privately admit they know the real winner of the elections.

I draw your attention to the fact that it is not a political fight in the partisan sense, but a fight against a criminal power; a fight by honest people against corrupt civil servants; active citizens against those who leech off the city council’s budget; social and democratic movements against an authoritarian regime.

Since the 12th October the “Astrakhan Maidan” tents have been set up in the centre of Astrakhan. Young campaigners of the Tochka Otcheta movement are keeping watch over them, and each evening there are protests where many hundreds of campaigners and voters come to protest their anger bearing slogans saying “Give back Astrakhan to its residents!” and “No to bandit power in Astrakhan.”

I ran as a candidate in the local elections on the initiative of a wide coalition of associations, trade unions and local movements, notably: the Union of Inhabitants of Astrakhan, the Zachita trade union, the retirees’ association, the association of Kazakhs in Astrakhan, the union of small traders of the street markets of Astrakhan, the trade union of small commercial tenant entrepreneurs, the association of collective taxi drivers, the Tartar company Suiumbike, the invalids of the Kirov district association, the Tochka Otcheta (Point of Reference) youth movement, and the “Left Front.”

In the streets of Astrakhan the people are in shock, they have the feeling that their voice has been stolen. And the problem of fraud is not the only one; there are many campaigners and observers who have been beaten up, opposition observers have been pushed aside during the counting of the votes, and there have even been arrests.

Clearly, the fraud is not exclusive to Astrakhan. But in this city, there is a real social mobilisation for a change in power, a real alternative.

In my name and that of all the militants who have led the election campaign, I am addressing the campaigners of the other regions of Russia, and those overseas, campaigners of social movements and trade unions as well as left-wing movements, to get stories of solidarity and support in our fight. Support the Astrakhan Maidan! Join us in demanding the cancellation of the elections in Astrakhan and the organization of new, free and democratic elections.

Oleg Shein, Member of Parliament in the Duma State, Joint President of the Zachita truda Trade Union and the Union of Inhabitants.”

Support the Astrakhan Maidan!

Others informations

News Astrakhan (Russian)

chtodelat news

Массовое задержание протестующих против фальсификации выборов в Москве, Астрахани и других регионах

«Астраханский Майдан»: день третий

Астрахань. Митинг и палаточный городок с требованием честных выборов

Video (in Russian)

Video made by a journalist of Kavkazki Uzel (www.kavkaz-uzel.ru) attacked during the night of the elections in Astrakhan

« Astrakhan : elections or coup ?

Video made by the same militants: Criminal coup :

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Keywords

SKS , Election fraud , Maidan