The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for September 2012

24.09.2012 Belarusian Christian Democracy coordinator Dzianis Sadouski wanted by police

A district police officer visited the address where the executive secretary of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Dzianis Sadouski is officially registered.

24.09.2012 Home voting record: 226 people for two hours

At one of the polling stations on Vitsebsk in two hours before the station’s closure 226 people voted at home. Thus, the voting speed made 1 person in 30 seconds.

24.09.2012 Birthday greetings for Ales Bialiatski from colleagues and friends

We would like to thank all those who have joined Ales Bialiatski’s birthday week. Viasna keeps receiving cordial letters and photos with birthday greetings for Ales: from partners, colleagues, friends and other people who are concerned about the fate of the imprisoned human rights defender.

24.09.2012 Belarusian youth: “Ales! You Are Our Talisman!”

The imprisoned Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski shares his thoughts inspired by the letters of solidarity he keeps receiving in prison: ‘I have received quite a lot of letters from young people lately. And there are many postcards from Vilnius, from the School, too. It is really pleasant: it means that the ideas of human rights protection have resonated with the Belarusian youth, which used to be so nobly described in the poetry of Yanka Kupala.

24.09.2012 Election to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus of the Fifth Convocation: Final Report

The “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” campaign comes to conclusion that the election process was marked by serious violations of the principles of democratic and fair elections, as described in the OSCE standards and the Belarusian legislation. The election took place in the atmosphere of political persecution and repression of the opponents of the government; this political environment, as well as the limitations at the stages of creation of election commissions and campaigning had a negative effect on the freedom to make an informed choice. Non-transparency of vote count procedure makes it impossible to state that the election results reflect the will of the Belarusian people.

24.09.2012 Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections announce press-conference

On 24 September, activists of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections observation campaign are expected to hold a press-conference to present their final report on the results of election observation. The press-conference will be held at 11.30 a.m. at the central office of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.

23.09.2012 Observers ejected from polling stations in Minsk for attempt to submit complaint

The election commission of Minsk-based polling station No. 396 (constituency No. 102) expelled observer Viktar Bury, after he attempted to submit a complaint against the election officials.

23.09.2012 Observer ejected during vote count

Observer Mikalai Rasiuk (Mahiliou polling station No. 47) was forced to leave the polling station after he was accused of interfering with the activities of the election officials for merely trying to ask a question to the chairman of the election commission during vote counting.

23.09.2012 Election record stolen in polling station in Minsk

A blatant violation was reported by the independent observer registered in Minsk polling station No. 594. The observers say that one of the pro-government observers stole an election record.

23.09.2012 Five observers ejected from polling station in Minsk

Five independent observers have been forced to leave polling station No. 449 in Minsk-based constituency No. 104, says Yury Salodkin, coordinator of the Tell the Truth campaign.

23.09.2012 Ballots stuffed in Svetlahorsk

A teacher of Svetlahorsk secondary school stuffed false ballots at polling station No. 2, says local observer Leanid Bolduyeu. The observer says he has already submitted a complaint with local prosecuting authorities.

23.09.2012 Homel observers ejected from polling stations, forced to observe in lobby

Observer Anatol Paplauny has been expelled from polling station No. 1 (Homel constituency No. 34) for taking photos of the ballot boxes.

23.09.2012 Authorities block online resources covering elections

The Belarusian authorities have blocked access to a number of web-sites that have been covering the parliamentary elections, including www.bchd.info (Belarusian Christian Democracy), www.udf.by (United Democratic Forces), and the web-site of For Fair Elections campaign.

23.09.2012 Prison added to constituency on voting day

The election officials in Mahiliou have included local penal colony in the territory of polling station, says Yury Novikau, local coordinator of the For Fair Elections observation campaign.

23.09.2012 Stuffing reported in Mahiliou

According to Aksana Samuilava, election agent of opposition candidate Aksana Zakreuskaya, the election officials of Mahiliou-based polling station No. 68 were caught stuffing false ballots.