Russian investigators have opened 53 criminal cases into irregularities in the run-up to and during the December 4 parliamentary elections, a report says.
“Since the start of the campaigning period, 53 cases in 27 regions have been opened,” according to a joint report by the Interior Ministry and the Investigative Committee published on the Kremlin’s website on Wednesday.
“Currently, perpetrators in 10 cases are identified,” the report said.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party struggled to hang on to its majority despite thousands of instances of ballot-stuffing uploaded to social media.
The poll’s disputed results triggered the biggest anti-government protests since Soviet times and a new rally has been called for Saturday December 24.
The Investigative Committee received 259 complaints alleging electoral violations, most of them from “citizens and members of election commissions.”
The bodies also registered 2091 administrative offences on voting violations, including 462 in Moscow. However, most of those concern “illegal propaganda” or unsanctioned rallies on voting day.
In a Facebook post last week, President Dmitry Medvedev promised to investigate reports of electoral fraud.
