GNDEM
Tag: Citizen observer rights
New GNDEM/NDI Report Highlights Growing Threats to Nonpartisan Citizen Election Observers
The Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM), in partnership with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), today launched the first ever Report on the Global State of Nonpartisan Citizen Election Observers’ Rights, an assessment of the threats facing election observers worldwide. Elections are a cornerstone of democratic governance and a prerequisite for long-term stability and development. Citizen observers are on the frontlines protecting citizens’ right to vote and promoting more participatory, transparent and accountable elections. Continue Reading
GNDEM Condemns Further Repression of Civil Society in Uganda Ahead of Elections
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) condemns the escalating crackdown on civic and democratic actors in Uganda ahead of the January 15, 2026 elections. The most recent actions included the suspension of GNDEM member the Alliance for Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), as well as other anti-corruption and human rights organizations such as Chapter Four Uganda, Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U), National NGO Forum, and National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders. Continue Reading
GNDEM Releases First Ever Report on the Global State of Citizen Observer Rights
The Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) is proud to release the first ever “Report on the Global State of Nonpartisan Citizen Election Observers’ Rights.” This study, conducted in partnership with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), draws on the experiences and lessons shared by nonpartisan citizen election monitoring groups worldwide. This research is the first study to document and highlight the global status of nonpartisan citizen observer rights, along with the lessons learned and the concerted efforts needed to ensure that the rights of citizen observers are respected, protected, and promoted. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses Serious Concern about Arrest of Leading Uganda Nonpartisan Citizen Observer and GNDEM Chairperson
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) expresses its serious concern regarding the arrest of Dr. Sarah Bireete in advance of Uganda upcoming general elections on 15 January 2026. Dr. Bireete is a leading Ugandan nonpartisan citizen observer and respected human rights lawyer who is Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG) based in Kampala, Uganda. She also serves as Chair of the GNDEM Board as well as the East and Horn of Africa Election Observation Network (E-Horn). As of this moment, no clear or credible explanation has been provided by the police or the prosecution regarding the specific legal grounds for her arrest or the charges being considered against her. Nor has she been provided access to legal counsel. This lack of transparency is unacceptable. Continue Reading
GNDEM Condemns Continued Efforts by the Georgian Government to Close Civic Space and Undermine Citizen Observers
The Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) once again condemns the continued efforts by the Georgian government to close civic space, limit basic freedoms and undermine the activities of citizen observers. Most recently, at the request of the Prosecutor’s Office, a Tbilisi City Court judge froze bank accounts of at least seven non-governmental organizations, including GNDEM member and citizen observation organization the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED). The actions of the Prosecutor’s Office are retribution against civil society over public protests started after the Georgian government’s decision to halt the EU accession talks following the contested 2024 parliamentary elections. Continue Reading
GNDEM Condemns Russia Ruthlessly Undermining Independent Nonpartisan Citizen Observation
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) condemns the actions of the Russian government that resulted in the citizen observer organization Golos (“Voice”) ceasing all its activities. This erodes the freedoms of Russian citizens and further undermines legitimacy of elections in Russia. Golos’ decision is due to the extreme and longstanding state campaign against civic organizations in order to compromise the fundamental right of Russian citizens to participate in public life. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses Its Ongoing Serious Concern Over the Continued Closing of Civic Space in Georgia and Stands in Solidarity with Georgian Civic Organizations
The Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) expresses its ongoing serious concern over the continued closing of civic space in Georgia. Most recently, the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) presented court orders to a number of civic organizations, including GNDEM member the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), requiring them to provide essentially all organizational information for the period from January 1, 2024, to June 10, 2025. The information being demanded includes legally protected personal data of the organizations’ beneficiaries and partners. In addition, there have been repeated social media posts attacking these organizations and individuals associated with them by name, and questioning their patriotism and loyalty to Georgia. Continue Reading
GNDEM Condemns Conviction of Nonpartisan Election Observer Leader in Russia
The Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) strongly condemns the sentencing of Grigory Melkonyants, the co-chair of nonpartisan election observation organization and GNDEM member Golos, to five years in prison. Golos is a leading independent election monitoring organization in Russia, providing citizens with fact-based information and analysis on democratic processes in the country. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses Its Solidarity with Citizen Election Observers and Civic Organizations in Serbia
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) expresses its deep concern over the Serbian Police raid of the office of the GNDEM member, the nonpartisan Center for Research Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), as well as other Serbian civic organizations. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses Its Solidarity with Citizen Election Observers and Civic Organizations in Serbia
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) expresses its deep concern over the Serbian Police raid of the office of the GNDEM member, the nonpartisan Center for Research Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), as well as other Serbian civic organizations. Continue Reading
GNDEM Special Note on Venice Commission Report on Election Observers As Human Rights Defenders
The Venice Commission released their report recognizing citizen and international election observers as human rights defenders. Through this report, the Venice Commission recognizes the work of election observers as critical to the protection of human rights, including political and civil rights, as well as assessing a state’s compliance with international human rights law. The commission states that as human rights defenders, election observers protect fundamental rights and freedoms while also being entitled to protections of their own. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses Its Concern over Continued Attacks on Civic Participation in Georgia
GNDEM again expresses its concern over continued efforts to restrict civic space in Georgia given the recent announcement of the full implementation of the Russian-style foreign influence law. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses Its Solidarity with Citizen Election Observers in Tunisia
GNDEM expresses its deep concern with the Tunisian ISIE further restrictions on nonpartisan citizen election observer groups that attempted to monitor the October 6, 2024 presidential election. Following GNDEM’s earlier statement in August addressing the denial of accreditation for I Watch, the ISIE raised allegations and expanded restrictions to include several other electoral observation groups, including GNDEM member Mourakiboun. The refusal to accredit nonpartisan citizen observers hampers the rights of the people of Tunisia to provide independent oversight over their country’s elections. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses Its Concern with Challenges to the Credibility of Citizen Observers in Georgia
GNDEM expresses its deep concern with recent statements made against GNDEM members ISFED and GYLA in Georgia, undermining their credibility and challenging their observation methodologies. GNDEM stands in solidarity with credible and independent Georgian citizen observers. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses its Solidarity with Citizen Observers in Nigeria
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) stands in solidarity with the citizen election observation organization and GNDEM member Yiaga Africa in Nigeria and condemns efforts to discredit independent nonpartisan citizen election observers. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses its Concern Over the Integrity of Elections in Venezuela and Crackdown on Observers and Party Pollwatchers
The Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) expresses its deep concern over the lack of transparency and the harassment of civic activists and party pollwatchers following the July 2024 presidential election in Venezuela. Continue Reading
GNDEM Board Adopts New Organizational Strategic Plan
On August 20, 2024, the newly-elected GNDEM Board held its first virtual meeting and adopted the network’s new strategic plan. The plan follows a series of virtual strategic planning sessions held with GNDEM members between March and June, and the meeting of GNDEM’s Coordinating Committee in Nairobi, Kenya from June 24 to 26, 2024. The plan reviews and affirms GNDEM’s vision, mission, core values, and guiding principles. Continue Reading
GNDEM Statement of Solidarity over the Refusal to Accredit Citizen Observers I Watch in Tunisia
GNDEM expresses its deep concern with the Tunisian Independent Higher Authority for Elections (ISIE) refusal to accredit the nonpartisan citizen election observer group I Watch. GNDEM stands in solidarity with I Watch and all nonpartisan citizen election observers who face threats against their right to observe elections and defend the right of citizens to exercise their vote. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses its Solidarity with Citizen Observers Targeted by Russian-Style Foreign Influence Law
GNDEM expresses its deep concern with efforts to undermine the right of citizens to monitor their own election processes, both through the Georgian Parliament’s consideration of the Russian-style foreign influence law and the constant verbal attacks by government officials on citizen observers and the ongoing harassment of civic leaders more broadly. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses its Solidarity with Detained Observers in Azerbaijan
GNDEM expresses its deep concern with the detainment of citizen election observers from the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) in Azerbaijan. GNDEM stands in solidarity with EMDS and all nonpartisan civic actors who face threats to their security for safeguarding the electoral process, ensuring transparency and accountability, and defending the right of citizens to exercise their vote. GNDEM condemns all forms of threats, harassment and violence against nonpartisan citizen election observers. Continue Reading
GNDEM Expresses its Solidarity with Observers in Serbia and its Concern over Attacks on CRTA
GNDEM stands in solidarity with CRTA in Serbia and all nonpartisan citizen election observers who face threats against their right to observe elections and defend the right of citizens to exercise their vote. GNDEM condemns all forms of threats, harassment and violence against nonpartisan citizen election observers. Continue Reading
GNDEM Members Attend the 18th Annual Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation
In November 2023, representatives from GNDEM members Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana)/West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON), Civil Network Opora from Ukraine, and the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) attended the annual Implementation Meeting of the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation (DoP) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Continue Reading
GNDEM Statement of Solidarity with ERC and ZESN in Zimbabwe
The Global Network for Domestic Election Observers (GNDEM) strongly condemns the raid and arbitrary detention of staff and volunteers of the Electoral Resource Centre (ERC) and the Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network (ZESN). Continue Reading
See all tags.