Independent, opposition candidates complain of intimidation

Independent and opposition candidates registered for the October 28 parliamentary election have been reporting incidents of pressure, threats and dirty tactics against them, according to a Kyiv Post investigation last week. Actions have included the opening of criminal investigations, police searches of residences, and the registration of clone candidates (with similar or identical last names to confuse voters).

Brad Wells: Though these sort of underhanded tactics have come to be somewhat typical in Ukrainian elections, the systematic nature of the intimidation and the fact that it appears to be slanted against opposition and independent candidates will impinge on the ability of observers to declare the election free and fair. At the same time, the government has already sidelined the two biggest name opposition figures – former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and interior minister Yuriy Lutsenko, both of whom are in jail.