Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in January 2010
In January, the elections to the local Soviets of Deputies started in Belarus. According to Presidential decree #21 of 18 January 2010, the elections to the local Soviets were appointed on 26 April. It will be the first campaign carried under the amended Election Code. As soon as the decree was published, the Belarusian human rights defenders have started monitoring the electoral process all over Belarus within the frames of the campaign Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections. One of their aims is to analyze the practical implementation of the new provisions of the election legislation. According to these innovations, the subjects who nominate their representatives to election commissions received the right to appeal against their non-inclusion in the commissions by the appropriate state agencies. A number of public and political activists appealed against their non-inclusion in the commissions at court.14.03.2010 European Parliament resolution on the situation of civil society and national minorities in Belarus
.
14.03.2010 Mazyr: Uladzimir Tseliapun asks prosecutor to check the legality of formation of election commissions
On 12 March Uladzimir Tseliapun, representative of the Homel oblast council of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, addressed V.Sushcheuski, prosecutor of the Mazyr district, with a complaint about a violation of the election law.
14.03.2010 Hrodna: BHC observer Sviatlana Rudkouskaya is threatened with fine again
The woman is Chairperson of building and loan association #8 for four years and hasn’t had any admonitions or even minor remarks concerning her work from the side of the Leninski district executive committee in Hrodna, but got in trouble after her nomination as an independent observer at the Praletarskaya constituency election commission #17.
14.03.2010 Babruisk: newspaper of executive committee ‘dozes’ information
Babruiskaye Zhyttsio, the newspaper of the Babruisk town executive committee, started giving the most important information related to the elections, in small portions, as in a ‘soap opera’. According to the official information, 109 precincts and precinct commissions will work in Babruisk.
14.03.2010 Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada won’t nominate candidates in Hrodna
The Hrodna organization of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada refused to nominate candidates to the Hrodna oblast Soviet of Deputies because of non-inclusion of BSDH in the precinct commissions of the Kupalauskaya election constituency #4. Earlier, they intended to nominate Viktar Parfionenka as a candidate at this constituency.
13.03.2010 Anatol Paulau: ‘There’s no sense in election struggle already…’
The United Democratic Party nominated more than 120 representatives to precinct election commissions, but only 10 of them were included in the commissions. Such results make the party to think about the senselessness of further participation in the local elections.
13.03.2010 Baranavichy: Siarhei Housha asks authorities about the criteria for the choice of members of precinct commissions
On 12 March, the member of the Belarusian Popular Front Siarhei Housha addressed Viktar Dzichkouski, Chairperson of the Baranavichy city executive committee, with a letter in which he wrote that he had been present at the historical sitting of the executive committee, at which the composition of 66 precinct election commissions consisting of 685 persons were adopted without the announcement and discussion of any the candidacies. The number of the applications on nomination of persons to the precinct commissions, the surnames of the nominees and those who were included in the commissions weren’t announced either.
12.03.2010 Homel oblast court cancelled trial of another conscientious objector to military service
The trial of Yauhen Yakavenka was cancelled by the Homel oblast court. At first Yauhen was punished with arrest for ostensibly ignoring an order of the military enlistment office.
12.03.2010 Rahachou district: one agitation site per six villages
The Rahachou district executive committee permitted outdoor agitation in villages only near the Culture Houses. However, there are only 29 Culture Houses in the 208 villages of the Rahachou district.
12.03.2010 76 representatives of opposition political parties were included in precinct election commissions
Source:
In particular, the state authorities included in the precinct commissions 31 out of 160 nominated representatives of the Belarusian Party of Leftists Fair World, 23 out of 281 nominees of the United Civil Party, 17 out of 122 nominees of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, and 5 out of 9 nominees of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada.
