Homel: “Students, don’t be afraid to say NO!”

On September 19th civic activists spread the brochure “Students and elections” in Homel higher educational establishments. The pocket book informs about the rights and duties of citizens during elections, and tells the students that forcing anyone to vote is the violation of the Belarusian law. The initiator of the brochure and project coordinator Siarhei Haurylin says, the students are the most unprotected voters in the country:

-- I was a student myself and I know how deans and rector behave. They force the students to vote early and threaten them with sanctions – “you will not be allowed to take the exam the second time, we will expel you for missing classes, or kick you out of the dormitory. I did not know the law and did not know my rights. My group mates were the same. The brochure informs the students and lets them make a conscious decision if and when they want to go to the polls, or to be part of the cattle guided by the dean”.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections