CCHR PRESS RELEASE – Phnom Penh, 17 August 2013
CCHR expresses concerns regarding the NEC’s unwillingness to disclose
original forms during the rechecking of election results
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) is concerned about the methods being used by the National
Election Committee (“NEC”) to verify election results of the National Assembly
elections held on 28 July 2013, and in particular with the lack of transparency
regarding the original forms sealed in the so-called Safety Package “A.” This
was made apparent during re-checks of election results organized by the NEC on
15 and 16 August 2013 for some polling stations in Kratie, Kandal, Battamang
and Siem Reap provinces, as a result of complaints regarding irregularities at
polling stations and in the counting of the votes submitted by the opposition
Cambodian National Rescue Party (“CNRP”).
On 15 August, the NEC
rechecked the results of one commune - Svay Chras – in Kratie province, by
checking the 1102 form against the 1104 and 1109 forms from that commune.
However, the 1102 forms checked were not from the Safety Package “A” – which
are sealed packages for each polling station containing the original 1102 forms
– which led to the CNRP representatives to walk out before the process of
rechecking the results even began. The NEC representatives continued checking
and reached the conclusion that initial results in that commune were correct.
On 16 August, the
NEC also rechecked results from some polling stations in Kandal, Battambang,
and Siem Reap provinces by checking 1102, 1104, 1108 and 1109 forms. Although
representatives from political parties including the Cambodian People’s Party
(“CPP”), the CNRP, FUNCINPEC, civil society organizations and the media were
present, as with the previous day, none of the actual forms made available to
check were from the Safety Package “A.” Discrepancies between forms presented
by the NEC and by the CNRP were prevalent, and many concerns about
irregularities at the polling stations – including some closing several hours
before the official time – were discussed.
The prevalent lack
of transparency in verifying the election results is worrisome and continues to
make it impossible to confirm the election results. The NEC must make available
the original forms from the Safety Package “A” in order to verify the results
and to investigate allegations of irregularities in the counting of the
ballots, before official election results are released next month.
CCHR President Ou
Virak comments:
“CCHR welcomes the opportunity to
have participated – along with other members of civil society – in the
rechecking of these election results. However, the fact that they refused to
open the Safety Pack A and to present the original forms for monitors to
recheck against the figures provided to them by the NEC has done little to
mitigate fears that the process continues to be fraught with irregularities. Without
the original forms being made available for observers to check against the
results, the legitimacy of the elections results and the NEC’s independence
will continue to be questioned. If the NEC truly wants to create a transparent
process, then the forms from Safety Pack A must be disclosed.”
For more
information, please contact Ou Virak via telephone at +855 (0) 1240 4051 or
e-mail at ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org or Consultant Juliette Rousselot via telephone at
+855 (0) 1535 0620 or e-mail at julietterousselot@
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