Candidacy of dismissed trade union activist is nominated to local Soviets of Deputies

As said by Mikalai Pakhabau, representative of the trade union of radio electronic industry in the Minsk oblast, at least nine members of the independent trade union will try to get registered as candidates to the elections in the Minsk oblast by collecting electors’ signatures in support of their candidacies.

Four of them are collecting the signatures in the city of Zhodzina, including Yury Loban, whose dismissal from the Belarusian Automobile Plant at the end of 2009 and the subsequent actions in his support received a wide coverage in the media in Belarus and abroad.

Jurki Raina, Secretary General of the International Metalworkers’ Federation addressed Belarus’ President Aliaksandr Lukashenka with an open letter calling to take measures concerning the non-extension of the labor contract with the trade union activist. Nevertheless, the contract was not extended through earlier Mr. Loban received official thanks for his work and has a five-year daughter.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections