Babruisk: Xeroxed leaflets are distributed in support of pro-governmental candidate

Aliaksandr Kazlou works at the open stock company Belshyna, the largest enterprise of Babruisk, as deputy director on ideology, and is running for the regional council of deputies at the Minskaya election constituency #10. His rival Viachaslau Sheleh, a member of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, noticed suspicious agitation leaflets being spread all over the constituency.

’These were Xeroxed copies of his colored leaflets’, says Mr. Sheleh, ‘and the imprint was so blurred that it was impossible to read anything. I addressed the constituency election commission with a complaint, whose secretary Aliaksandr Kuralenia answered that according to the official documents Aliaksandr Kazlou had printed 30 colored posters and 400 colored leaflets. Where are then those black-and-white copies then? They promised to hold an investigation and give me an answer by today’s evening, but preliminary said that everything was alright with Kazlou.’

Viachaslau Sheleh also noted that such black-and-white leaflets can be found in each postbox of the constituency, whereas 300 officially printed leaflets would be enough to cover several houses only.

’I printed 3,100 leaflets and it wasn’t enough to cover the whole constituency, whereas 300 leaflets was enough for Kazlou to do it. My rival is a pro-governmental candidate and he knows for sure that he will become a deputy. Why should he make such illogical steps then?’ asks Mr. Sheleh.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections