Rechytsa: slits of ballot boxes won’t be taped
Chyrvonastsiazhnaya precinct
election commission #28 in Rechytsa held a sitting on the eve of the early
voting. Its member Siarhei Hapaniuk, representative of the Belarusian Popular
Front, was informed about it in advance. However, he was told that the sitting
would take place at 3 a.m. on 13 December.
However, when he came there he learned that the sitting started at 2 p.m. He
asked the commission Chairperson, Tamara Shvedava, about it. She answered that
it was necessary to hold the sitting as soon as possible because of an order of
the Chairperson of the Rechytsa District Election Commission, Vital Atamanchuk.
Being asked when the ballot box will be sealed, T.Shvedava answered that it
would be done on 14 December, and only a seal would be put, whereas the slit
wouldn’t be taped with a sheet of paper with signatures of 2/3 of the commission
members (as required by the law). She said that an appropriate order had been
given by Mr. Atamanchuk, but didn’t specify whether it was a written or an oral
order.
Mr. Hapaniuk says that if the slit is not taped, it becomes very easy to throw
in any number of ballots. The chairperson of the precinct commission or any
other person can break the seal in a convenient moment and throw in filled
ballots, after which a new seal can be put on.
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections
