Christian Democrats quit election campaign over pressure
A number of members of the unregistered Belarusian Christian Democracy were forced to withdraw their applications for registration as candidates due to severe harassment by the authorities, including 4 persons in Minsk.
Pressure of various intensity is used against all the BCD activist running in the elections, says the party’s co-chair Vital Rymasheuski. The BCD members are threatened with dismissals or intimidated over the phone, e.g. Zmitser Butenka, whose relatives were phoned by representatives of the KGB, forcing him to withdraw his candidacy.
‘Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections’
