23.04.2010 Opposition candidates in Belarus seized printers and computers

Local council canddiate Syarhei Trafimchyk was searched by the militia on April 22.

Searches and interrogations in connection with the criminal case instigated by the Hrodna region KGB department against Ales Zarembyuk, a candidate to the Masty district and Hrodna region councils, go on in the Hrodna region.

23.04.2010 Early vote all-out effort seizes Minsk universities

Today, on 23 April, an urgent meeting of rectors of Minsk universities is due to be held by the Ministry of Education. By 14 p.m. all students living in hostels were ordered to have cast their ballots, says a university professor.

23.04.2010 Svislach district: pro-state candidate campaigned for by his employers in working hours

In the past few days, in Svislach district (Hrodna region) there have been held a lot of meetings with voters of Ilya Epifanau, head of health care department of Hrodna regional executive committee, who is running for the Hrodna Regional Council.

23.04.2010 Vitsebsk region: canvassing opportunities vary

Canvassing for voters is underway. However, the results of these activities to a considerable degree depend on the candidates’ political affiliations.

23.04.2010 Akrestsin detention center to be equipped with blankets and pillows

The detention conditions in Belarus have repeatedly been criticized by both national and foreign human rights organizations. It is the civil convicts who are subject to extreme conditions while serving their sentences: overcrowded cells, lack of beds, showers, walks, inability to receive parcels, low quality of food and water.

23.04.2010 Babruisk pro-state candidates advertised by independent press

The latest issues of two Babruisk independent newspapers ‘Vecherny Bobruisk’ and ‘Kommerchesky kurier’ feature interviews with three local pro-state candidates.

23.04.2010 Mahiliou tax inspection interested in candidate’s income

On 22 April, Aliaksandr Irkho, leader of the Belarusian Social-Democratic Party’s (Narodnaya Hramada) Mahiliou organizing committee, who is running for the City Council, received a summons to the local tax inspection.

23.04.2010 Mazyr candidate left without canvassing materials

On 22 April Mazyr District Court dismissed the complaint by Uladzimir Tseliapun, Belarusian Popular Front member, running for the Homel Regional Council, ‘since it is beyond the jurisdiction of the court.’ The candidate argued that the manager of the local printing house ‘Kalor’ Mr. Dyliuk had violated the Electoral Code by refusing to print the candidate’s election posters.

23.04.2010 Mahiliou: even unrivaled loyal candidate abuses public media for canvassing

Fiodar Mikheyenka, deputy chair of Mahiliou city executive committee, who is running for the Mahiliou City Council, in non-alternative constituency #11, was illegally campaigned for by the ‘Vesnik Mahiliova’ state newspaper. He answered several questions on his activities as head of the ‘Belaya Rus’ pro-government organization’s local leader and invited everyone to cast their ballots on 25 April.

23.04.2010 Heads of Polatsk state enterprises forced to report on early vote turnout

Heads of Polatsk state enterprises and institutions have to report on the number of their employees who take part in the early vote to the town executive committee daily. There is not much pressure recorded yet, but there have been cases when people are recommended to vote early, since it is their ‘civil duty’.

23.04.2010 Hrodna pro-state candidates abuse office for canvassing

The pro-government candidates of Hrodna region have had an extensive use of their administrative resources and the public mass media to maintain their canvassing activities. ‘Hrodzenskaya prauda’ newspaper was especially active: in its issue of 21 April the journalist Mikalai Shlyk advertises the activities of his own boss – Alena Berasniova, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief and deputy of the Hrodna Regional Council.

23.04.2010 Chair of Zelva district executive committee threatens candidate

On 22 April chair of Zelva district executive committee Valiantsin Semianiaka threatened the local independent candidate Yauhen Skrabutan, as he was observing the process of early voting at one of the town’s polling stations.

23.04.2010 Canvassing poster of BPF Vitsebsk candidate found ruffianly

The administrations of two Vitsebsk schools #40 and #43 refused to post the election leaflets of Aliaksandr Kuzniatsou, Belarusian Popular Front member, running for the Vitsebsk Regional Council, after the posters were found ‘ruffian-like’. The officials argued that the posters had a picture of a New Year tree with a white-red-white national flag on top of it, which was considered inadmissible.

22.04.2010 Baranavichy pro-state candidates ignore decision by town authorities

The pro-government candidates Mikalai Astashka, Henadz Valynets, Maryna Matsiuk, Viachaslau Dunkovich, and some other loyal candidates, keep violating decision #379 of 12 February 2010 by Baranavichy town executive committee, by posting their election leaflets in populous places.

22.04.2010 Belarusian prosecutor's office: Searches, interrogations and beating of independent journalists are legal

The prosecution agencies consider beating of journalists and confiscation of office ecquipment are not violations of the law.

In the investigation of the defamation against former head of KGB directorate of Homel region Ivan Korzh, there were no violations of the law found, and there are no grounds for taking measures of reaction by the prosecutor.