28.07.2008 Babruisk authorities keep information about meetings of election commissions in secret from observers

Observer Viktar Kachan says: “I addressed Babruisk Pershamaiskaya district commission many times. I made numerous phone calls and came personally with the request to inform me about the time and place of the commission’s session. Every time they told me they could not do that because “the sessions take place in the way of business, and are gathered when needed”.

28.07.2008 Babruisk: employees of law-enforcement bodies ordered not to sign for independent candidates

Wife of Babruisk policeman told human rights defenders her husband and his co-workers were ordered by their boss not to put their signatures in support of independent candidates. The woman wanted to remain anonymous because she does not want to create problems for her husband. However, such facts already prove that the election might take place with violation of the election legislation.

28.07.2008 Orsha: results of initiative group registration published

Results of initiative group registration were published in Orsha

28.07.2008 Mahiliou: Members of district election commission did not collect signatures?

Member of Belarusian Helsinki Committee Natalia Samakhvalava suspects, all eight members of district election commission # 87, nominated by signature collection, did not collect signatures for their nomination.

28.07.2008 Smarhon: Dirty techniques of pressure on UDF candidate

Pressure on pro-democratic candidate Iryna Veshtard does not only stop, but grows stronger. Iryna Veshtard registered her initiative group in Smarhon district commission # 59 on Monday, July 21st. Intimidation began immediately.

28.07.2008 Mahiliou: Black PR used against independent candidate Aliaksei Paulouski

During two days the initiative group of Aliaksei Paulouski collected 140 signatures. However, the candidate experiences strong counteraction of the authorities in this process.

28.07.2008 Babruisk: Candidate Alexander Chyhir convicted

Today Babruisk court pronounced sentence to Alexander Chyhir, who is going to run in Babruisk rural district. Despite discrepancy of witnesses’ testimony, and the fact that he had been beaten by police officers, the civic activist was found guilty of damaging a cab and beating the driver. The verdict was two fines of 30 basic units (about 500 USD each) and 10 days of arrest.

25.07.2008 Brest region: nomination of parliamentary contenders continues

The majority of the UDF candidates in Brest region are to be nominated by signature collection. The following initiative groups, no less than 10 people in each, were registered: acting chairman of BSDP H Anatol Liaukovich (Brest Zakhodniaya district # 1); deputy head of the regional BSDP H Valiantsin Lazarenkau (Belavezha district # 8), head of Brest raion PCB branch Anatol Novik (Mukhavets district # 4), Alexander Halkevich (Baranavichy Uskhodniaya district # 6), Yauhen Perats (Pinsk city district # 14), and Alexander Apanasiuk (Stolin district # 16).

25.07.2008 Barysau: Forgetful colonel

On Monday, July 21st, Barysau city district election commission (# 62) registered the initiative group of Viktar Huminski. On Wednesday, July 23rd, Adzinstva newspaper (Barysau city executive commission is its founder) published a message to the voters of incumbent MP Viktar Huminski. Colonel Huminski – the newspaper published his picture in military uniform, although he is retired for eight years already – writes in his message: “I can tell you the main thing – I have fulfilled the pre-election promises”.

25.07.2008 Vileika: Two initiative groups not registered for “law breaking”

On July 24th, at 2.30 p.m. a session of Vileika district election commission # 64 took place. The commission was to consider 4 applications for registration of initiative groups of the following candidates: Spilnichenka, Anikeyenka, Australenka, and Vinahradau. Deputy head of the commission brought two statements to the session. One statement came from Mr. Australenka, who decided to drop out of the race. The second paper brought by Shykalina was a statement from Mr. Adamovich from Vyhlavichy village, member of Zmitser Vinahradau’s initiative group.

25.07.2008 Salihorsk: Potential members of initiative groups under pressure from authorities

Vital Amialkovich, observer at Slutsk election district # 74 found out, A. Yurevich, member of pro-democratic BSDP H, had some problems while creating his initiative group. The authorities put pressure on some members of his initiative group in order not to let them work in Yurevich’s team.

25.07.2008 Salihorsk: executive committee officials and employees of state-run institutions became members of election commissions

Out of 13 commission members, 6 occupy various posts in Niasvizh and Kletsk executive committees. Among them there are Alexander Karniushkin, head of ideological department of Niasvizh district executive committee; Vasil Siamukha, head of labor, employment and social defense department of Kletsk district executive committee, Valiantsina Yafimchyk and Hanna Sarokina, chief officers of organizational departments of both administrations, etc.

24.07.2008 Vileika: Local BPF leader detained

The police detained Zmitser Vinahradau, head of Minsk regional BPF branch. He was detained on Vileika-Miadzel highway near Brusy village. Vinahradau was riving to Vileika district election commission in order to submit the new list of his initiative group. The commission did not register Vinahradau’s first initiative group on July 24th: under the pressure of the executive authorities one of the group members claimed he had been included in the list against his wish.

23.07.2008 Luninets: BPF representative in district election commission

Yury Svita, member of BPF Adradzhennie NGO, became member of district election commission.

The commission in Luninets has 13 people, which is a maximal number of commission members. The commission is composed of 5 people nominated by work collectives, 2 – by NGOs, 2 – by political parties, 2 – by citizens, 1 – by the executive committee, and 1 – by the presidium of the regional Council.

23.07.2008 Pinsk: KGB bothers activists

Pinsk observers from Belarusian Helsinki Committee were summoned to KGB and police for interrogation after the blast in Minsk. On July 7th KGB officers visited the apartment of Paval Liakhnovich. That could possibly end with the detention of the activist, but one day before that Paval, also a member of Kalehium NGO, took a group of children for a tour and was not at home.

Liaknovich’s wife Liudmila had to meet the unexpected guests herself. According to her, KGB officers behaved properly, they did not try to intimidate or threaten her. The search warrant they showed was signed by Minsk prosecutor.