The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 12 Mar 2010

12.03.2010 Anatol Paulau: ‘There’s no sense in election struggle already…’

The United Democratic Party nominated more than 120 representatives to precinct election commissions, but only 10 of them were included in the commissions. Such results make the party to think about the senselessness of further participation in the local elections.

12.03.2010 Baranavichy: Siarhei Housha asks authorities about the criteria for the choice of members of precinct commissions

On 12 March, the member of the Belarusian Popular Front Siarhei Housha addressed Viktar Dzichkouski, Chairperson of the Baranavichy city executive committee, with a letter in which he wrote that he had been present at the historical sitting of the executive committee, at which the composition of 66 precinct election commissions consisting of 685 persons were adopted without the announcement and discussion of any the candidacies. The number of the applications on nomination of persons to the precinct commissions, the surnames of the nominees and those who were included in the commissions weren’t announced either.

12.03.2010 Homel oblast court cancelled trial of another conscientious objector to military service

The trial of Yauhen Yakavenka was cancelled by the Homel oblast court. At first Yauhen was punished with arrest for ostensibly ignoring an order of the military enlistment office.

12.03.2010 Rahachou district: one agitation site per six villages

The Rahachou district executive committee permitted outdoor agitation in villages only near the Culture Houses. However, there are only 29 Culture Houses in the 208 villages of the Rahachou district.

12.03.2010 76 representatives of opposition political parties were included in precinct election commissions

In particular, the state authorities included in the precinct commissions 31 out of 160 nominated representatives of the Belarusian Party of Leftists Fair World, 23 out of 281 nominees of the United Civil Party, 17 out of 122 nominees of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, and 5 out of 9 nominees of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada.

Secretary of Central Election Commission: The formation of precinct commissions was conducted in full conformity with requirements of the Election Code

12.03.2010 Secretary of Central Election Commission: The formation of precinct commissions was conducted in full conformity with requirements of the Election Code

As stated to the BelaPAN by Mikalai Lazavik, Secretary of the Central commission on elections and holding of republican referenda, 68,881 persons were included in precinct election commissions.

12.03.2010 Vitsebsk oblast: results of formation of precinct commissions

The civil society of the Vitsebsk oblast continues summing up the results of the formation of precinct elections. 9 persons were nominated to the commissions by the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, but only 2 of them will work at precinct commissions – one in the town of Hlybokaye and the other – in Pastavy. The remaining 7 BCD activists (4 in Vitsebsk and 3 in Orsha, including Pavel Seviarynets, co-Chairperson of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, and Tatsiana Seviarynets, his mother, BCD coordinator in the Vitsebsk oblast) weren't included in the commissions.

12.03.2010 Closeness is the main characteristic of formation of precinct commissions. Information from regions

923 precinct election commissions were established in the Vitsebsk oblast. 11,287 persons were included in them and 698 were not. More than 4,400 of them are representatives of civil associations and political parties. The rest are representatives of working collectives.