The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for September 2012

20.09.2012 Mahiliou election officials overstate voters’ turnout

The election officials of Mahiliou-based polling station No. 45 have overstated the number of early voters, local observers report.

20.09.2012 Maladechna resident detained for displaying national flag (updated)

Maladechna police detained last evening local youth activist Ihar Liushtanh for displaying a white-red-white flag in the town park to mark the adoption of Belarus’ national symbols in 1991.

20.09.2012 Khotsimsk: opposition candidate’s campaign posters stolen in several polling stations

Valery Karankevich, candidate for Parliament running in constituency No. 83, says his campaign materials have disappeared from a number of polling stations in Khotsimsk district.

20.09.2012 Slutsk: “They told us to vote, or we all will get fired”

Yulia Balakir, observer representing the Conservative Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front”, says she witnessed coercion to early vote at polling station No. 5 in Slutsk-based constituency No. 67.

20.09.2012 Slonim: future doctors forced to vote early

The students of Slonim state medical college have been forced to take part in the early voting campaign, say local observers.

19.09.2012 Outrage against Electoral Code in Minsk polling station

All the members of the election commission of polling station No. 126 (constituency No. 94) are employees of Leninski district administration, which constitutes a violation of the Electoral Code, say observers of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections campaign.

19.09.2012 Haradok observer expelled from polling station

Leanid Haravy, observer in the town of Haradok (Vitsebsk region), has been shown the door by chairman of the constituency election commission Piotr Prasolau on the grounds that the observer allegedly interfered with voting.

19.09.2012 Minsk students awarded with day off for early voting

The students of the Faculty of Information Technology and Robotechnics of the Belarusian National Technology University have been reportedly promised a day off, on the conditions they go to the polls before the week-end.

19.09.2012 Baranavichy students ordered to vote by Friday

Siarhei Housha, observer in constituency No. 5, has received several complaints by students of Baranavichy State University, who are reportedly forced to vote before Friday, September 21.

19.09.2012 CEC ignores complaints by Slonim pro-dem candidates

Mikhail Karatkevich, candidate in Slonim constituency No. 58, as well as former candidate for Parliament Ivan Sheha, have received replies from the Central Election Commission head Lidziya Yarmoshyna.

19.09.2012 Babruisk election commission conceals information

Dzmitry Marholin, short term observer representing the independent trade union of the Radio-Electronic Industry at Babruisk polling station No. 30, has been denied access to the data on the results of the first day of the early voting campaign.

19.09.2012 Slonim housing chief orders to vote early

Uladizmir Pakala, head of Slonim District Housing and Public Utilities Department, is reportedly using his position to force his employees to vote early.

19.09.2012 Election commission in Hrodna receives 25% of extra ballots

The election commission of Hrodna-based polling station No. 22, covering the population of 1,910 voters, has received 2,400 ballots, i.e. 25% more than needed, says observer of the For Fair Elections campaign Aliaksandr Lemekh.

19.09.2012 Minsk court convicts Zmena activists

Minsk Frunzenski District Court has considered the administrative charges brought against activists of the Zmena movement (youth wing of the Tell the Truth campaign), who were brutally detained during an election picket last afternoon.