Investigations into electoral crimes/ SPAK provides details for citizens

2025-04-22 15:53:00, Aktualitet CNA

SPAK

SPAK has provided details to citizens regarding its powers and how electoral crimes will be investigated.

The Special Prosecution Office explains that criminal offenses related to the electoral process are numerous and clearly provided for in the Criminal Code and include:

-obstruction of electoral subjects

-falsification or damage to election materials

-violation of the secrecy of voting

-voting more than once or without identification

-active and passive corruption in elections

-use of public office for political purposes

-threats or violence against election participants

- voter suppression

-abandonment of duty by committee members

-violation of the right to choose

-illegal use of identification documents

-abuse of military or police authority.

The Special Prosecution Office has the powers to investigate electoral crimes when active and passive corruption is involved.

In the case of active corruption, it refers to the giving of money, property or other favors to citizens or persons connected to them, with the aim of influencing the electoral process, such as:

-collection of signatures

-voting in a certain way

-participation or not in voting

-support for a candidate or political entity.

Passive corruption, on the other hand, refers to cases where citizens accept or demand material benefits in exchange for electoral support. Both of these offenses are punishable by imprisonment of 1 to 5 years.

SPAK goes further if these crimes are committed by senior public officials, criminal organizations, structured criminal groups, armed gangs or terrorist organizations.

SPAK can also investigate for electoral crimes the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Prime Minister, ministers and deputy ministers, members of parliament, mayors, judges of the Constitutional and High Courts, the Prosecutor General, the High Inspector of Justice, members of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court, as well as heads of central or independent state institutions.

Citizens who wish to report an electoral crime can do so through three ways:

-with criminal charges

-in writing submitted to SPAK or by mail

-by oral report to the judicial police in the place where the crime was committed,

-through the dedicated platform on the official SPAK website, where anonymity is guaranteed and the opportunity to upload documents or audio/visual materials is offered./ CNA