02.01.2014 Lidziya Yarmoshyna refuses to hold new election at Krychau election constituency No. 83
The head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna refused to hold new elections of deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus at Krychau election constituency No. 83. The reason for the refusal to hold elections was that the term of the deputacy of Uladzimir Krautsou, elected to the House of Representatives in this constituency, wasn't over.
02.01.2014 Brest UCP files an application for picket against the state fee on cars
Members of Brest city branch of the United Civil Party applied to the local authorities with the request to authorize the picket against the introduction of the state fee on cars which they intend to hold on 12 January in Lenin Square.
02.01.2014 Report on the results of the formation of territorial election commissions
Monitoring of the elections to the Local Councils of Deputies of the Republic of Belarus of the 27th Convocation is conducted by activists of the of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center "Viasna" within the frames of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections". 29 long-term observers of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" are involved in the observation.
01.01.2014 Monitoring report on the results of observation of the action “Stop the Tax” held on 27 December 2013 in Minsk
On 27 December 2013, the second action against imposition of a tax on the car owners from 1 January 2014 was held in Minsk. The call for this action was carried out through social networks. The organizers didn’t apply for the permission to hold this action. There have been cases of threats from the State Automobile Inspection (DAI) – it warned about imposing fines and evacuation of the vehicles of supposed participants of the action as well as about criminal liability for the blocking of transportation arteries.
28.12.2013 Petition by human rights defender makes Brest city executive committee amend restrictions on street events
On December 10, human rights defender Uladzimir Vialichkin addressed Brest city executive committee with a request to eliminate the contradictions contained in the legal acts regulating the procedure for the organization of public events. The petition was caused by the circumstances of preparing a picket dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
28.12.2013 Salihorsk: Ban on Human Rights Day picket appealed to court
Uladzimir Shyla filed a complaint to the district court of Salihorsk against a ban on a rally that was to be held on Human Rights Day.
28.12.2013 No representatives of democratic forces in election commissions of Polatsk, Navapolatsk and Orsha
Democratic activists were not included in the district election commissions, which were, according to local authorities, formed with "the most energetic and capable members". Meanwhile, Orsha representatives of the UCP (Henadz Ananyeu) and the Left Party "Fair World" (Vasil Kabacheusku) were not included in the district election commission. It were just these party members who were tossed out of 16 nominees.
28.12.2013 Rechytsa district election commission headed by “representatives of the public”
When creating territorial election commissions, the authorities strictly adhere to the quota – a third of the commission members should represent the public. However, it's true only on paper. In reality, that all of that "public representatives" hold senior positions at the local level.
28.12.2013 Representative of Fair World party included in Vitsebsk regional election commission
13 of 17 applicants were included in the regional election commission. The nominees represented political parties and public associations (10 persons), as well as citizens by submitting applications (6 persons), and labor collectives (1 person).
28.12.2013 Biaroza district election commission created in less than 6 minutes
As human rights defenders learned from chief of the personnel department, Vitay Mshara, the executive committee received documents from 18 persons, 13 of them were eventually elected commission members. According to chairman of the district executive committee Yury Narkevich, these are people with experience.
28.12.2013 Brest: None of opposition nominees gets into city election commission
Brest city territorial election commission for the elections of deputies of the Brest City Council was formed yesterday.
27.12.2013 Mahiliou region: No opposition activists in territorial election commissions
Meanwhile, Mahiliou pro-democratic activists nominated two people to the regional election commission, and one person to the city election commission.
27.12.2013 Representatives of opposition parties not included in Homel regional election commission
A joint meeting of Homel regional executive committee and the Regional Council of Deputies on the formation of the regional election commission was held today. The meeting was attended by a BHC member Viktar Adzinochanka. According to him, the meeting lasted 15 minutes and 48 seconds.
27.12.2013 Platforma Innovation: There are fewer prisoners in Belarus, but their treatment fails to improve
In their annual monitoring released today, activists of the Platforma Innovation human rights NGO note that there number of inmates held in Belarusian jails has decreased, while their treatment has only improved in a number of places, Radio Liberty reports.
27.12.2013 National Bolshevik activist arrested ahead of “Stop-Tax” rally
Dzmitry Paliyenka, activist of the National Bolshevik Party, was detained on December 26 in Minsk. The detention took place at around 4 p.m. at the entrance to the MAZ plant, where he works. The activist was taken to the police department of Zavodski district and charged under Article 17.1 of the Administrative Code for “disorderly conduct.”
