Zelva district: head of village soviet prohibits electoral meeting

On 3 September dwellers of the villages of Yelka and Kazlovichy didn't manage to meet with the pro-democratic candidates for the Parliament Ivan Sheha and Mikhail Karatkevich running at election constituency #58.

This happened though they had a preliminary agreement with the head of the Synkavichy Village Soviet Siarhei Dukhtsik that the meeting would be held at the Culture Palace in Yelka and posted advertisements in the Culture Palace and at the engine yard.

When they came to Yelka to hold the meeting, they were met by Dukhtsik, who said that there would be no meeting, as it is a mass event which needs to be sanctioned by the Central Election Commission.

While the candidates kept arguing with the official, a police car arrived. Seeing no sense in any further talks, the candidates returned to Slonim and submitted an appeal to the head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna.

“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”