But Sri Lankans continue to be urged by candidates to defy threats and vote, as much to save the democratic system as to choose a candidate.

Exactly two years ago they defied threats and violence to vote overwhelmingly for independence from a quarter century of Indonesian occupation.

But on Friday night, members of Congress, which had been in recess, returned to their building, defying threats by Government security forces that they would be expelled.

He also hangs onto the rest, defying threats by Pino and his cohorts to hand over their shares.

In two elections, millions voted, defying terrorist threats.

A respected hero figure boldly defying threats of death and torture was safer than a nonentity.

Hundreds of protesters had stood all week in the wintry cold, singing songs and defying threats of violence and arrest.

On Aug. 30, 1999, nearly 98 percent of East Timor's voters defied threats and cast their ballots in a referendum on independence.

She defied the defamation and threats by Islamic extremists who wanted to ban women entirely from public appearance.

On September 25, 2007, 2,000 monks and supporters defied threats from Burma's junta.