The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for November 2010

17.11.2010 Canvassing opportunities in Maladechna decline

According to the newly published decision of Maladechna district executive committee has authorized but three locations for maintaining canvassing activities in the town. Only one of them is located out of doors – Victory Park, an unpopular place situated on the outskirts of Maladechna.

17.11.2010 Official reply to Maladechna HR activists arrives 19 days after appeal

Maladechna human rights defenders finally received an official reply from the district executive committee to their appeal lodged back on 29 October. However, under the Electoral Code, the reply should have been sent within three days after its submission.

16.11.2010 Supreme Court turns down complaint by HR defender

The Supreme Court has dismissed a complaint by human rights activist Uladzimir Malei, who urged the Court to publish personal data of Baranavichy town territorial election commission. Upholding an earlier decision by Brest Regional Court, the Supreme Court referred to lack of necessary legislative provisions for appealing refusals to disclose the data.

16.11.2010 Orsha canvassing locations secret?

No information on authorized canvassing locations in the town of Orsha has been yet made public, despite provisions of the CEC’s election schedule, according to which the local authorities were supposed to do so before 12 November.

16.11.2010 Babruisk pro-dem forces to demand increase of canvassing locations

On 16 November, a number of Babruisk pro-democratic activists launched a campaign for amending the authorities’ decision on authorized canvassing locations in the town. Babruisk executive authorities have authorized only four locations for maintaining election campaign activities, all of them located on the outskirts of the town.

16.11.2010 Barysau: meetings with voters to be held in remote places

Barysau district executive committee has specified four out-of-door locations for holding meetings with candidates, all of the places situated in unpopulated areas. At the same time, the neighbouring town of Zhodzina, which is three times smaller than Barysau, will have six authorized out-of-door canvassing locations.

16.11.2010 Election of the President of Belarus 2010: Weekly Analytical Review (November 8-14)

Out of 85 complaints against non-inclusion of 413 persons into PECs, the courts have rejected 83 (2 complaints remain unconsidered). The courts have ignored arguments about discriminatory attitude of executive committees to representatives of opposition political parties and justified their refusals by the fact that all the formal procedures of forming PECs had been observed.

15.11.2010 Vitsebsk Region Election Commission agrees to use transparent ballot boxes

The commission finally accepted the proposal of the Chairperson of the Vitsebsk region organization of the Belarusian Leftist Party Fair World Mikalai Selivashka which he had made during the previous election. However, now they need to find the sources of financing for it.

15.11.2010 Uladzimir Niakliayeu and Andrei Sannikau are going to oppose rigging of election together

On 12 November the potential candidates for the presidential position Uladzimir Niakliayeu and Andrei Sannikau held a joint press conference in Minsk. They announced about cooperation and coordination of their activities.

15.11.2010 Salihorsk: materials of verification of signatures are kept in secret

The observer at the Salihorsk District Election Commission (DEC), member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Leanid Markhotka wasn’t allowed to familiarize with materials of the verification of signature lists. L.Markhotka passed to the Salihorsk DEC a complaint about it right after the announcement of the scandalous results of the verification of signatures in the Salihorsk district.

15.11.2010 Mazyr: conditions for canvassing are getting worse

The Mazyr District Executive Committee determined the places where the candidates for President and their proxies would be allowed to hold canvassing. The appropriate ruling considerably reduced the number of places where indoor and outdoor electoral meetings can be held and limited the number of places for putting electoral materials in comparison with the previous election.

15.11.2010 Hrodna region: black list of ‘unreliable persons’ keeps growing

On 14 November the activist of the campaign team of Vital Rymasheuski Mikola Bausiuk was detained at the frontier point Pryvalka. He was set down the bus by which he was returning home from Lithuania and kept at the frontier point for about 2 hours. He was subject to personal examination. His belongings were searched as well. Mr. Bausiuk is convinced that such attention from the side of border guards is connected to his participation in the electoral process.

Activists of <em>Speak Truth</em> detained for flash-mob

15.11.2010 Activists of Speak Truth detained for flash-mob

Activists of the civil campaign Speak Truth held a street actions You should Hide Garbage, Not Votes. They put black garbage bags on litter bins and posted on them stickers You should Hide Garbage, Not Votes.

15.11.2010 Drugs planted to apartment of Young Front activist?

Several days ago the house of the Young Front member Andrei Kuzminski was visited by representatives of the Polish police and two investigators from Minsk. They stated that a criminal case had been instigated on him on suspicion in drug trade. At present the Belarusian side demands Andrei’s extradition from Poland, where the activist asked for political asylum.