Salihorsk: materials of verification of signatures are kept in secret
The
observer at the Salihorsk District Election Commission (DEC), member of the
Belarusian Helsinki Committee Leanid Markhotka wasn’t allowed to familiarize
with materials of the verification of signature lists. L.Markhotka passed to
the Salihorsk DEC a complaint about it right after the announcement of the
scandalous results of the verification of signatures in the Salihorsk district.
The observer doesn’t dare to call the answer of the DEC an outright denial. ‘Lidziya
Yarmoshyna keeps saying that the personnel for the election commissions of all
levels are chosen according to their professional skills and experience. The
answers that are given by the Salihorsk District Election Commission give
reasons for serious doubts about it. To say that the answers to our inquiries
are insubstantial is to say nothing. They aren’t just judicially illiterate,
but illogical and abstract. My request to give the opportunity to familiarize with
the materials of verification of the electors’ signatures is answered with the
statement that ‘in the necessary cases the validity of the signatures of
electors in the signature lists can be checked by the regional and the Minsk
city election commissions within 5-day term’. You should guess about the rest,’
comments Mr. Markhotka.
The observer is of the opinion that by giving
abstract answers the Salihorsk DEC tries to escape the responsibility for
violations of the electoral legislation (in particular, Article 13, part 1 of
the Electoral Code, which guarantees the openness and transparency during the
preparation and holding of elections). The human rights defender is going to
file an appropriate complaint with the procuracy.
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections
