Homel region: independent web-sites cover election campaign

22.09.2008. Tags: mass media, elections-2008, Homel.

A number of regional web-sites regularly publish information about the election campaign in Homel region. They publish both their own and local news, published by the national independent sources. In particular the regional web-sites offer the visitors information about unequal conditions for official and pro-democratic candidates.

“The candidates are not allowed to say that the authorities are lying”, “The authorities persecute candidate who announced a boycott”, -- are some of the headlines of the regional web-site Rechytsa. It publishes independent information about the election in Rechytsa district. In particular, it talks about the obstacles created by the local authorities for independent candidate to the Chamber of Representatives Leanid Nevar.

The regional Internet portal “Svetlahorsk” publishes information about the election in Zhlobin Svetlahorsk and Rahachou election districts (the latter district includes Karmiansk and Rahachou rayons). Independent news about the course of the election in Svetlahorsk rayon regularly appear on Svetlahorsk blog. In particular, it draws public attention to the fact that the official newspapers promote only the government-supported candidates, while democratic nominees Siarhei Daineka in Svetlahorsk and Valery Rybchanka in Zhlobin appear only in the places given to all candidates “on equal conditions”.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections