Rovshan Inkandarov, the Chairman of the Marneuli City Assembly in eastern Georgia and a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, along with his brother, Ekbar Iskandarov, have been arrested on charges of ballot-stuffing during the October 26 elections. The ruling was issued on Friday as a preventive measure.
The brothers, who both deny the allegations, argue that the evidence against them – a widely circulated video purportedly showing one of them casting multiple ballots – was fabricated. “I don’t need to fake it. Everyone knows that 17,000 people in this administrative unit are on my side,” Rovshan Iskandarov told the judge, maintaining that the case was “planned” and expressing hope for a “fair court” outcome. He further suggested that the allegations were “politically motivated”, claiming that he hoped the judiciary would not be swayed by opposition influence, specifically from the United National Movement opposition.
The incident, which gained widespread attention after a video emerged on October 26, shows a man allegedly stuffing ballots at Marneuli Precinct #69. Following the video’s release, the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched an investigation under Article 164 of the Georgian Criminal Code, covering election fraud. The Central Election Commission subsequently annulled the results from the polling station.
In his defense, Rovshan Iskandarov linked the ballot-stuffing accusation to a “plot by the opposition UNM, accusing them of attempting to discredit Georgian Dream supporters in Marneuli.
