Vitsebsk: more obstacles to candidate Andrei Levinau
Colleagues addressed a former policeman, candidate Andrei Levinau with the request to deliver a speech to them.
On 9 September 2008 Andrei Levinau addressed the head of Chyhunachny district police department of Vitsebsk (from which he had been fired less than a month ago for running at the elections) with a statement on holding an electoral meeting on the territory of Chyhunachny district police department on 12 September.
The deputy head of the police department A.Shastou wrote a runaround (#L-22 of 10 September 2008). There it was written that the administration of Chynachny police department had considered the statement and recommended Levinau to hold the electoral meeting in class #6 of secondary school #19 (the settlement of Ruba, Tsentralnaya Street, 12) at 3.00 – 5.00 pm. The secondary school is more than 10 kilometers away from the constituency at which Levinau runs.
During recent broadcast of Levinau’s speech on TV the sound suddenly disappeared at the moment when Levinau called the electors not to vote early.
The constituency electoral commission ruled to oblige the TV and radio company Vitsebsk to repeat Levinau’s speech at 6.05 pm on 12 September.
A private printing house headed by Viktar Auchynnikau (a proxy of a pro-governmental candidate) refused to publish agitation materials for Levinau till getting a written permission from the constituency electoral commission.
The head of the curriculum department of secondary school #2 did not let Andrei Levinau to the people who came to a parents’ assembly on 10 September. She stated that she was a member of an electoral commission and that candidates for deputies were prohibited to communicate with people at parents’ assemblies.
Human rights activists for free elections
