Mahiliou: democrats not included in precinct commissions of Kastrychnitski district

On 2 November the Kastrychnitski District Executive Committee held a sitting to form the precinct election commissions on the territory of the district. The United Civil Party, the Belarusian Leftist Party Fair World, the NGO BPF Adradzhenne and the Mahiliou Human Rights Center nominated 33 representatives to the commissions, but none of them were included in them.

’During the sitting the head of the organizational and personnel department asked the participants to approve the composition of the PECs,’ said the human rights defender. ‘I draw your attention to the word approve here, whereas according to the law they were to have formed the commissions. In fact, they were formed by the organizational and personnel department of the executive committee.’

The following reasons were drawn for non-inclusion of democratic representatives in the commissions: lack of the necessary work experience and participation of the nominees or their close relatives in the campaign teams of candidates for president.

’I wasn’t included as ‘I am always writing complaints and don’t present information objectively’, and also because I am unemployed. Lawyer Siarhei Famin wasn’t included because he works in Minsk in the Tree Trade Union of Belarus (though his working place is in Mahiliou). Yauheniya Tsiurkina wasn’t included because of being old,’ - said Barys Bukhel.

15-16 persons were included in most of the commissions. ’According to the law, the maximal number of members in a precinct commission is 19. There was no contest for membership in the precinct commissions, and democrats weren’t included in the commissions for farfetched reasons,’ added Mr. Bukhel.

The human rights defender said that the decision not to including representatives of democratic organizations in the precinct election commissions will be appealed in court.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections