The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2010

22.04.2010 Orsha: undercover canvassing in local newspaper

‘Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections’ have already reported numerous facts of state-owned newspapers campaigning for loyal candidates across the country. Another sample of hidden agitation can be found in the local newspaper of Orsha district.

22.04.2010 Homel: police and election commissions powerless?

The Homel activists of the unregistered Belarusian Christian Democracy party keep drawing the attention of the local police to the numerous violations of the Electoral Code by pro-state candidates. According to the BCD’s Homel regional coordinator Kastus Zhukouski, the leaflets of the party’s candidates are repeatedly posted over by the posters of pro-government candidates.

22.04.2010 CEC Chair sees no need in regulating vote count procedures

On 9 April, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee addressed the Central Election Commission with a demand for explanations on the process of vote count by each member of the election commission, since the Electoral Code fails to specify the manes of vote count, neither does it provide for the distribution of responsibilities between the members of the commission during the count.

22.04.2010 Three more Young Front activists detained

On 21 April the Minsk police detained three Young Front activists Uladzimer Yaromenka, Uladzimer Dziaviatka and Ilya Murayeu for distributing the Chernobyl Shliakh-2010 newspaper, advertising the event, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

22.04.2010 Opposition activist Volha Karach removed from local election race in Vitsebsk

Volha Karach, a prominent activist who was running for a seat at the Vitsebsk City Council, was removed from the election race on the first day of the early voting.

22.04.2010 Vitsebsk journalist Staraverau arrested

Vitsebsk independent journalist Uladzislau Staraverau was detained by the police for shooting a ‘controlled-access enterprise’ – local detention center – where Siarhei and Vital Kavalenkas are currently serving their sentences for staging a rally with white-red-white flags on 21 April, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

22.04.2010 Young Front activist detained ahead of Chernobyl Shliakh

Mikola Dzemidzenka, deputy chair of the Young Front movement, was arrested by the police for distributing leaflets advertising the annual Chernobyl Shliakh demonstration in Minsk’s Yakub Kolas square on 21 April.

21.04.2010 UCP Hrodna candidate detained by road police

On 21 April, Hrodna road police detained the United Civil Party activist Dzmitry Bandarchuk, who is running for the city council. The candidate was told a car similar to his had been spotted in a road accident back on 17 April. As a result, his car was searched. The actual reasons for the search are unknown.

21.04.2010 CEC chair Yarmoshyna indirectly admits violations by Baranavichy town election commission

On 20 April Mikalai Charnavus, who was refused registration as a candidate, received a reply to his complaint from the Central Election Commission, signed by the Commission’s chair Lidzia Yarmoshyna.

21.04.2010 Babruisk election commission members ordered to secure 80 % turnout

Members of one of Babruisk local election commissions were ordered to secure 80 % of voters’ turnout, says one of the commissioners. Besides, some of the candidates were ordered to be sunk, including Mikhail Karalkou, head of the Belarusian Free Trade Union, who is running for the town council.

21.04.2010 Authorities tried to break pre-election picket, says candidate Finkevich

Artur Finkevich, the Young Belarus youth movement leader, who is running for the Minsk City Council, claims that the local authorities tried to break the candidate’s canvassing event on 18 April outside the ‘Druzhba’ cinema in the Chyzhouka microdistrict of Minsk.

21.04.2010 Polatsk: meetings only with pro-state candidates

In 9 out of 32 constituencies of the town of Polatsk, with more than one candidates running for the local council seats, it is only the pro-state one whose meeting with voters is advertised by the local state-run newspaper ‘Polatski vesnik’.

21.04.2010 Leaflets of pro-state candidate distributed in Babruisk shops

Canvassing leaflets of Uladzimir Stelmak, head of Babruisk bus fleet, who is running for the Minsk Regional Council, are distributed in a number of Babruisk shops, which is forbidden by the Electoral Code.

21.04.2010 Krychau voters still unaware of pro-state candidates’ income data

There is no information on the incomes of the pro-state candidates, running for the Krychau District Council, says Siarhei Niarouny, editor-in-chief of the ‘Volny horad’ local independent newspaper, who is also running for both the district and the regional councils.

21.04.2010 Mahiliou: candidate’s leaflet censored

According to Aliaksei Paulouski, running for the Mahiliou City and Regional Councils, his election leaflet has been censored by the local printing house.