Minsk Regional Court turns down complaint by Salihorsk voters

Minsk Regional Court has dismissed today a complaint lodged by a number of voters from Salihorsk constituency No. 69 who argued that famous civil activist Uladzimir Shyla nominated as their representative to local constituency election commission was illegally deprived of his right to act as election commissioner.

The Court dismissed the claim after representative of Minsk regional executive committee said that the decision was taken under inner regulations that enable election commissions to be formed at a preliminary sitting to be just approved the following day. The official also argued that the commission was composed of respectable and famous persons, with relevant experience of working on the commission during the previous elections. Meanwhile, the Court did not take into consideration the bitter fact that out of 15 nominees for 13 seats it were the two representatives of pro-democratic forces who were denied membership on the commission.

Apart from that, Uladzimir Shyla’s only representative who attended the hearing was not allowed studying the case file ahead of the trial.