News on the topic: elections-2016
31.07.2016 Analytical Report on the Formation of Precinct Election Commissions
The absence of legislatively fixed criteria for candidates to election commissions still results in a highly partial approach to the personal composition of these commissions.
29.07.2016 Formation of election commissions complete in Minsk
710 commissions in Minsk include 8 502 people, 69.4 per cent from which are women. The majority are members of public associations – 6 968 people, including political party members – 2 630 people.
28.07.2016 Transparent Funds at all Stages is a Step to Fair Elections
Within the campaign Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections, lawyer Pavel Sapielka analyzed possibilities for participants of parliamentary elections in terms of legislative norms that regulate financing of electoral campaign, and compared the results of the research with respective international standards. The conclusions show uneven financial standing for different candidates.
25.07.2016 Observers question campaigning equality
Valiantsin Stefanovich, expert of the campaign Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections, has been debating with Lidziya Yarmoshyna, head of the Central Election Commission, on the financial opportunities of potential candidates. The question is about the need for changes in legislation.
25.07.2016 Weekly Analytical Report: July 18-24
The process of collecting signatures is once again accompanied by abuse of administrative resources, but not as extensively as in earlier elections.
21.07.2016 Double standards or negligence of election officials?
“We Want Changes!” and “Deeds After Words, Results After Deeds!” at the picket of a future candidate versus “A Million Jobs” on his T-shirt. Are these all campaign slogans? Human rights activists call for clarification over several warnings issued by district electoral commissions for “illegal campaigning” by some nominees and the absence of claims in a similar situation to the others.
19.07.2016 ‘Political qualities’ to prevail when selecting candidates to precinct elections commissions
The current election campaign is no exception: the election commissions are likely to have only loyal members. Lawyer Pavel Sapelka has commented on the recent response by the CEC head to his proposal to abandon such criteria ‘political qualities’ in the selection of members of the PECs.
11.07.2016 Report on the registration of nomination groups
The process of registration of nomination groups (initiative groups) of candidates for the House of Representatives was more democratic than that during the previous election campaign.
08.07.2016 Human rights activists criticize CEC head over ‘political qualities’
The term of ‘political qualities’, which has no explanation in the electoral law, but remains an important criterion for the selection of candidates to the election commissions, should be removed from the CEC’s Decision No. 18, says Pavel Sapelka, analyst of the campaign Human Rights Defenders For Free Elections.
07.07.2016 No choice in media coverage of elections, BAJ leader says
On July 4, the chairperson of BAJ Andrei Bastunets took part in the conference on "Media Freedom as a Cornerstone for Democratic Elections", organized by PACE jointly with the Venice Commission in Berlin.
01.07.2016 Observers report little political pluralism in formation of election commissions
Observers of the Human Rights Defenders For Free Elections campaign have summed up one of the key stages of this year’s parliamentary election, which will significantly affect the final assessment of the vote.
01.07.2016 Report on the formation of territorial and district election commissions
Lack of clear selection criteria results in the selective approach in the formation of election commissions.
24.06.2016 Uladzimir Labkovich: Yarmoshyna’s words a political statement
There will be no transparent counting of votes during this year’s parliamentary elections, said Lidziya Yarmoshyna, head of the Central Election Commission. The statement reflects the authorities’ current approach to the administration of elections, says Uladzimir Labkovich of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections campaign.
16.06.2016 Legal analysis of implementation of OSCE ODIHR recommendations on 2016 parliamentary elections
The campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" is a non-partisan initiative and does not intend to support political parties and politicians. The entire election process is assessed solely on the basis of the principles of free, democratic and transparent elections, which can enable the people of Belarus to fully exercise their constitutional right to participate in the government of the country.
13.06.2016 Analytical weekly report on the results of observation: June 7-12
The Belarusian authorities only took into account a few recommendations made by the OSCE ODIHR and the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" following the observation of the previous campaign.
