News for 8 жніўня 2008
Harry Pahaniaila: entrance interviews violate matriculates’ rights
On 7 August the education minister Uladzimir Radzkou and the first deputy head of the presidential administration Anatol Rubinau (who is called the main ideologist of a new school reform) had a meeting with journalists to discuss the results of the entrance exams to the high schools of Belarus.
Past week of the electoral campaign: events and generalizations
The campaign on election to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus (to the lower chamber of the parliament) is in its prime. After the initiative groups were registered the collection of signatures for registration of candidacies has started.
Pressurization of activists of Belarusian Popular Front Party
On 7 August a candidate from the BPF Party Yury Karetnikau passed to Minsk south-western district electoral commission #99 a list of 50 members of the BPF Party who agreed to be members of his initiative group.
Dismissed for distribution of ‘Tovarishch’ newspaper?
An activist of the Party of Communists Belarusian Vasil Mamkin has been fired from the open stock company Elektraaparatura where worked for more than 25 years. He has sued to Chyhunachny district court of Homel for rehabilitation at work. He also demands from the defendant 10 million rubles in moral damages.
Minsk: it is prohibited to hang paintings on the walls at BPF central office
On 8 August representatives of the fire security service of Savetski district of Minsk visited the central office of the Belarusian Popular Front Party. They held a check-up there and made several remarks to the secretaries of the office.
Homel: Leanid Suladenka’s initiative group warned for informational leaflet
The team of the candidate of the united democratic forces Leanid Sudalenka received the first warning. On 7 August the chair of Khoiniki district electoral commission #47 Viktar Vaskevich phoned to Sudalenka to inform him about it.
Minsk: pro-governmental candidates use administrative resource
The participation of state organs in collection of signatures for pro-governmental candidates and forcing of personnel to put signatures for them are quite usual violations at this stage of the electoral campaign. It is confirmed by observers, members of the initiative groups of other candidates and electors.
Vitsebsk: state newspapers publish interviews with pro-governmental candidates ahead of agitation stage
On 7 August the newspapers founded by Vitsebsk administration published huge interviews with photos of the pro-governmental candidates to the parliament. Vitsbichy published an interview with Viktar Auchynnikau running who intends to run on Vitsebsk Chkalauskaya electoral district #18 (Pershamaiski administrative district), Narodnaye Slova and Vitsebski Rabochy – with Uladzimir Andreichanka who intends to run on Hlybokaye electoral district #22 (Hlybokaye, Dokshytsy and Ushachy districts).
Brest: human rights activist Malei’s complaint ignored
The human rights activist Uladzimir Malei addressed the central electoral commission, Brest oblast executive committee and the presidium of Brest oblast Soviet of deputies with the demand to exclude from Mukhavets district electoral commission #4 its member Alexander Frantsevich. The reason is that during the last parliamentary elections Frantsevich had not admitted to the final counting of ballots and the final minutes the commission member U.Karpinchyk who had been charged with it by the secretary of the commission.
Homel: libraries getting ready for the elections
Informational book exhibitions dedicated to the upcoming elections have appeared in the libraries of Homel. Journalist Larysa Olina states that in such a way the city libraries get prepared to the parliamentary elections.
Brest: deputy Vialichka ‘reports to electorate’
Having registered his initiative group in order to get an opportunity to run for the parliament again, the deputy Aleh Vialichka decided to actively ‘report’ to the electors about his achievements.
Pavel Kuryianovich sentenced to 15 days of jail. Imprisoned Dashkevich and Finkevich go on hunger-strike
The leaders of the Young Front Zmitser Dashkevich and Arthur Finkevich, arrested in Minsk yesterday, announced a hunger strike in Akrestsin Street detention centre. The activist of the civil campaign European Belarus Pavel Kuryianovich stood trial at the court of Maskouski district of Minsk and was sentenced to 15 days of jail for ‘petty hooliganism’.
Police and KGB burst into ‘Young Front’ office
On 7 August in the evening riot policemen and KGB officers broke into the head office of the Young Front in Karal Street in Minsk. Two entrance doors were broken. The leaders of the organization Zmitser Dashkevich and Arthur Finkevich, as well as 4 activists of the Young Front and an activist of the civil campaign European Belarus Pavel Kuryianovich were arrested.
Journalists detained near House of Parliament
A photojournalist of Belhazeta Vadzim Zamirouski and another photojournalist have been detained near the House of Government in Independence Square today.
