The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for September 2012

19.09.2012 Vitsebsk observer sentenced to 7 days in jail

Vitsebsk Kastrychnitski District Court sentenced today Yauhen Hutsalau, observer representing the Belarusian Christian Democracy, to 7 days of administrative arrest for staging a picket calling for election boycott on 17 September.

19.09.2012 BPF observers denied access to polling stations in Mahiliou

At least four independent observers representing the Belarusian Popular Front have been denied today access to the polling stations of Mahiliou constituency No. 87.

19.09.2012 OSCE observers denied Belarus’ visas

Two short-term observers of the OSCE’s PA mission to Belarus have been denied visas by the authorities, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports, quoting the mission’s head Matteo Mecacci. The Belarusian MFA refused to issue visas to two MPs from Lithuania and Germany.

19.09.2012 CEC upholds warning to For Freedom candidate

On 18 September, the Central Election Commission upheld a warning addressed to candidate Andrei Yurkou, running in Horki constituency No. 82 (Mahiliou region) and supported by the For Freedom movement.

19.09.2012 Vitsebsk observer to stand trial for illegal picketing

Yauhen Hutsalau, observer detained on 18 September at Vitsebsk polling station No. 71, is facing charges of staging an unauthorized picket, as he is being held in the city’s detention center.

19.09.2012 Zhodzina: huge slit in ballot box

Tatsiana Novikava, chair of Zhodzina election commission No. 19, refused to seal an opening under the lid of a ballot box located in constituency No. 64, local observer Aliaksei Lapitski reports.

19.09.2012 Lida police seize election boycott fliers

Lida police confiscated yesterday some 15,000 leaflets produced by the United Civil Party. The leaflets cover the issues related to the current election campaign, calling voters to boycott the pseudo elections.

19.09.2012 Early vote in Horki sets records

The election officials of polling station No. 3 in the town of Horki, Mahiliou region, can now recognize the elections valid, after some 250 voters cast their ballots within half an hour on the first day of the early vote campaign.

19.09.2012 Foreigners detained in Mahiliou, await deportation

A number of foreign nationals, representatives of youth political organizations from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA, were detained yesterday at a meeting with NGO activists in Mahiliou.

18.09.2012 Slutsk activist appeals fine

Slutsk civil activist Vital Amialkovich is appealing a fine imposed by the administrative commission of the district’s executive committee back on 6 September.

18.09.2012 Ideologues in charge of early vote in Salihorsk

The ideology department of Salihorsk district executive committee launched last week a campaign of forced early voting. The coercion is said to be exercised through the managers of local state-owned and private enterprises, say reports by employees.

18.09.2012 The dead invited to vote in Vitsebsk

Vitsebsk resident Volha Kavalenka has submitted a complaint to the constituency election commission, after she received an invitation to vote bearing the name of her husband, who passed away in 2009.

18.09.2012 Minsk police detain youth activists and journalists

Four activists of the Zmena youth wing of the Tell the Truth campaign have been detained this afternoon in Minsk.

18.09.2012 Election officials turn down complaints by BPF candidate Ryhor Kastusiou

On 17 September, Ryhor Kastusiou, deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front running for Parliament in Shklou constituency No. 90, received replies to his complaints submitted to the central Election Commissions and the constituency election commission.

18.09.2012 Early vote started in Vitsebsk: students coerced, observer detained

The students of a number of education institutions of Vitsebsk have been forced to cast their ballots during lessons, observers at constituency No. 20 report.