Hrodna: independent observer harassed at work
Independent observer Sviatlana Rudkouskaya was nominated to the Praletarskaya constituency election commission #17 on elections to the Hrodna oblast Soviets of Deputies as an observer from the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.
The observer has been Chairperson of building and loan association #8 for four years and hasn’t had any admonitions or even minor remarks concerning her work from the side of the Leninski district executive committee in Hrodna, but got in trouble after her nomination as an independent observer. The Leninski district executive committee served her two writs.
The case was passed to the administrative commission of the Leninski DEC, headed by Aleh Bialinski, the DEC manager. Bear in mind that during the latest election campaigns Bialinski and Arkhipau have invariably occupied the positions of chairperson of precinct and constituency election commissions respectively.
On 3 March Barys Fiodarau, Chairperson of the Leninski DEC, sent her to Aliaksandr Arkhipau, Chairperson of the department of public services and amenities, who drew up a violation report because the territory adjacent to building and loan association #8 wasn’t cleaned from litter.
Sviatlana Rudkouskaya categorically disagrees to the violation report that was drawn up on her and considers such actions of the administration as persecution for participation in the election campaign.
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections
