17.12.2010 Traffic police checks buses going to Minsk

Buses going from Hrodna to Minsk are checked by traffic police. The policemen ask the passengers about the aims for travelling and check their documents.

17.12.2010 Yarmoshyna advises to forgive election commissions' members future violations

CEC chairperson Lidziya Yarmoshyna reckons it is impossible to hold a flawless election.

17.12.2010 Ballot boxes not properly sealed, report observers across Belarus

A number of independent observers report election violations across the country, when ballot boxes are not properly sealed by the local election officials.

17.12.2010 Hrodna prosecuting authorities and KGB interrogate local activists

A number of Hrodna civil activists, including Dzmitry Antanevich and Dzianis Ivashyn, have been summoned to local prosecutor’s office and the KGB department.

17.12.2010 Niakliayeu’s election pickets stopped by Vitsebsk authorities

Two canvassing pickets of Uladzimir Niakliayeu’s campaign team, have been reportedly stopped by Vitsebsk authorities, who referred to their decision, authorizing canvassing locations in the city.

17.12.2010 Vitsebsk observers kicked out of polling stations for registering violations

According to Antanina Pivanos, observer at Vitsebsk polling station # 21, the local election commission members have repeatedly impaired observation, prohibiting taking photos at the station.

17.12.2010 Death convict calls upon President Lukashenka to suspend execution

Aleh Hryshkautsou, sentenced to death on 14 May 2010, has addressed President Lukashenka with a request to suspend executing the sentence until his case is considered by the UN human Rights Committee.

17.12.2010 Mahiliou observers report numerous cases of enforced voting

According to Andrei Dvihun, observer at Mahiliou polling station # 42, over 25 per cent of voters have cast their ballots within the first three days of early vote. The high number of early voters is due to the enforced voting of students residing in a hostel within the constituency.

17.12.2010 Mahiliou soldier admits he was forced to vote early

According to Liubou Padrabinkina, observer at polling station # 114, Raman Ivanchanka, soldier of Mahiliou military unit # 6713, made a public statement on enforced early vote of all the servicemen of the unit, supervised by his commander.

17.12.2010 The seal on the ballot box has moved suddenly

Human rights defenders do not exclude, that the ballot box has been disclosed.

In Brest secondary school No.30 there are two polling stations – No.111 and 113. According to the words of the observer Andrey Maher, who was present at the sealing of the ballot boxes for early voting on both polling stations, it was noted by him two days later that on the ballot box installed on the polling station No.111, the seal and the paper with the signatures of the election commission members are situated in another place than in the first day of the early voting.

17.12.2010 Preliminary Monitoring Report on the THIRD Day of Early Voting

Minsk, 10:00 am, 16 December, – “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” campaign presents its preliminary monitoring report on observation of the third day of early voting (16 December). The observation is being conducted by 600 short-term and 80 long-term observers at 300 polling stations throughout Belarus.