Lawbreakers go to Chysts Council

As it was reported before, on 25 April 4 candidates running for the Chysts Village Council (Maladechna district, Minsk region) – Siarhei Miroshnikau, Halina Kurylovich, Alena Ulchyts and Stanislau Bazhko – appeared to be members of various local election commissions.

However, under par. 20 of Art. 68 of the Electoral Code, ‘the authority of the person, nominated for a local council, who is member of the Central, constituency, territorial or divisional election commission, is considered invalid from the moment of his or her registration as a candidate.’

The violation was appealed at 15.20, 25 April, i.e. 7 hours after the beginning of voting. The appeal lodged with Maladechna District Prosecutor’s Office, claimed that the official had blatantly violated the electoral legislation and demanded to declare the elections at the polling stations invalid, as well as to cancel the registration of the candidates.

Ms. Lidzia Yarmoshyna, chair of the Central Election Commission, later announced that Siarhei Miroshnikau, Halina Kurylovich, Alena Ulchyts and Stanislau Bazhko had been removed from the election commission, and thus were unable to take part in the vote counting.

At the same time, the lawbreakers were elected deputies of the Chysts Village Council.

‘Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections’