Frantsishak Viachorka faces obstacles in registration of proxies, printing of agitation materials and meeting with electors

After the consideration of the complaint of the ‘political recruit’ Frantsishak Viachorka, candidate for deputy of the Mazyr district Council of Deputies, the military authorities still haven’t granted his request for one-month rest, to which he has a legal right according to Article 77 of the Election Code.

However, the military had to allow F.Viachorka to record an electoral speech on the radio and visit the election commission and the printing house. Viachorka was escorted by an ensign, who watched all his steps.

Veranika Baikova, secretary of the election commission and Chairperson of the personnel department of Mazyr district executive committee, flatly denied the candidate in the right to apply for registration of two proxies in addition to an earlier application for registration of three proxies, that hasn’t been granted so far. This refusal is completely groundless and contradicts to Article 76 of the Election Code, which was confirmed in the telephone conversation of F.Viachorka with H.Mkrtychan, officer of the Central Election Commission. When F.Viachorka demanded from V.Baikova to abide by the law, she answered: ‘You should be grateful you’ve been registered at all’.

An officer of the printed house Color refused to accept F.Viachorka’s order for printing of agitation materials. She said that the administration of the printing house prohibited her to talk with F.Viachorka and that it was necessary to wait till 2 April, when the representative of the administration who is responsible for printing of agitation materials will come to work. She also stated that she could conclude with F.Viachorka an agreement for printing as the tariff plan was to be determined by the administration.

Moreover, she surprised the candidate with the statement that according to the appropriate decision of the administration there could be only three kinds of printed agitation materials and they must be equal (printed on standard A4 paper from the both sides). Of course, such demands are completely unlawful and limit the rights of the candidate.

F.Viachorka also addressed the military administration with the requirement to give him furloughs in the second half of the day (till evening) so that he could visit the electors when they get home after work, and allow him using a mobile phone in order to maintain contacts with state organs, proxies and electors.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections