Hrodna: psychological pressurization of democratic candidates

Mass-scale pressurization of the democratic activists who participate in the local elections is observed in Hrodna oblast. As stated by Aleh Ramashkevich, member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada, the authorities tried to persuade the member of his initiative group Yauhen Siankevich to leave the group. Chairperson of the territorial election commission Siarhei Chykun, Deputy Chairperson of the Berastavitsa district executive committee, came to the village of Alekshytsy, where pensioner Siankevich lived and proposed that the latter should leave the commission. Yauhen Siankevich refused to do it.

According to information of Ivan Sheha, Chairperson of the Slonim district organization of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, in Slonim unidentified persons kept phoning to civil activists introducing themselves as members of election commissions and proposed withdrawing from the elections under the threat of being dismissed from job. Mikhail Miskevich, a civil society activist from Slonim, intends to apply to the local territorial commission with the aim to discriminate the situation.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections