The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 1 Nov 2010

01.11.2010 Opposition parties nominated representatives to election commissions in Hrodna region

The opposition parties actively delegate their members to election commissions in the Hrodna region.

01.11.2010 Zhodzina police take extraordinary measures to guard to court distributor of independent press

At 11 a.m. on 27 October a police captain Zayats came to the working place of Andrei Zubra who works in the design office of the Belarusian Automobile Plant (BelAZ). The policeman had the violation report concerning the detention of Mr. Zubra with 216 copies of the newspaper Tut I Tsiaper. He demanded that Andrei should stop working and go to court together with him.

01.11.2010 Hrodna: human rights defenders lodge complaint to watch verification of signature sheets

The Hrodna human rights defenders Viktar Sazonau and Uladzimir Khilmanovich filed appeals against the decisions of local territorial electoral commissions. Viktar Sazonau is registered as an observer at the Leninski District Election Commission of Hrodna, and Uladzimir Khilmanovich – at the Hrodna District Election Commission. Both submitted to the appropriate commissions written requests to be provided with the opportunity to attend the sittings where the signatures sheets will be verified, and both received refusals.

01.11.2010 Orsha town election commission doesn’t announce number of signatures passed for each candidate

Until now, it is impossible to find how many signatures in support of each candidate for president were passed to the Orsha town election commission.

Central Election Commission introduces in electoral procedures ‘assistant member of electoral team’ athwart provisions of Electoral Code

01.11.2010 Central Election Commission introduces in electoral procedures ‘assistant member of electoral team’ athwart provisions of Electoral Code

Paragraph 6 of Resolution #47 adopted by the Central Commission on holding elections and republican referenda (CEC) on 15 September 2010 obviously contradicts to paragraph 8 of part 16 of Article 61 of the Electoral Code.

01.11.2010 Candles at KGB porch

This weekend the capital saw Picket of Memory – an action dedicated to the tragic anniversary mass killing of the national elite in the Minsk prison by NKVD in the night of 29-30 October 1937.

01.11.2010 Minsk teachers are forced to join 'Belaya Rus'

The administration of secondary school #121 of Minsk ordered all teachers to fill blanks for joining the ‘state NGO’ Belaya Rus which is, by the way, headed by the Education Minister, Aliaksandr Radzkou, who is also the head of the electoral headquarters of Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

01.11.2010 Barysau: UCP and trade union of radio electronic industry delegate about 50 representatives to precinct election commissions

The Barysau town organizations of the United Civil Party and the Belarusian Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry delegated 49 representatives to the precinct election commissions.