News on the topic: elections-2008
11.11.2008 Haradok: harassment of election observer
A resident of Haradok district Alexander Zhydkevich decided to monitor the latest Parliamentary election (held on 28 September) on his own initiative. During the election the local authorities warned him that the election would end on 28 September, whereas he would be still living in the same place and working at the same job.
05.11.2008 Svetlahorsk: opposition activists get fined
Svetlahorsk town court fined 1.4 million rubles (about $650) Sviatlana Mikhalchanka, the leader of Salihorsk district organization of the Party of Communists Belarusian, and Viktar Akhramchuk and Siarhei Shavialenka, activists of the Belarusian Popular Front Party and the United Civil Party.
04.11.2008 Homel: court justifies bans of opposition’s pickets
On 3 November the deputy head of Tsentralny district court of Homel Siarhei Shytsikau upheld the refuse of Homel city executive committee to authorize pickets which the opposition intended to hold within the frame of the electoral campaign. The applications for authorization of pickets were file by the democratic activists Andrei Tolchyn, Piatro Kuzniatsou, Natallia Shchukina and Alexander Protska.
24.10.2008 Election commission rejects all complaints contesting parliamentary election
The central election commission on October 24 rejected all five complaints contesting the official results of September’s House of Representatives elections.
22.10.2008 Independent election observer fined 500 dollars in his absence
Yelsk regional court fined an activist of the United Democratic Party and “parliamentary elections” observer Dzyanis Rabianok for alleged violation of the law on elections. He was fined 1 mln 50 thousand Belarusian roubles. It makes about 500 dollars.
22.10.2008 Yarmoshyna refuses to provide information
In her response to activist of the Movement for Freedom Karen Akopau, CEC chairperson Lidziya Yarmoshyna explains her refusal to provide information about the number of citizens who voted early: she claims, the inquiry of the activist is not based on the norms of the Election Code.
15.10.2008 Mahiliou: ex-candidate proves the election was rigged
A former candidate Aliaksei Paulouski has collected 234 signatures of electors by which they conform that they had voted for him at the election, whereas according to the official results there were only 174 votes in his support.
14.10.2008 Central election commission refuses to consider complaints against falsifications
On 13 October the Central election commission refused to grant the complaints filed by some ex- candidates for deputies. Five people demanded that the results of this year’s parliamentary elections were declared invalid and four more demanded that the votes were recounted at certain precincts.
13.10.2008 Ex-candidates for parliament campaign for non-recognition of parliamentary election
As the BelaPAN informs, former candidates for the parliament belonging to the entrepreneurs’ have started a campaign for finding the latest election to the parliament invalid.
11.10.2008 Procuracy is not interested in falsification of elections
The procuracy refused to consider the complaint of the secretary of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Dzianis Sadouski, ex-candidate at Masiukoushchynskaya electoral constituency #103. The day after the elections Sadouski directed to the procuracy the statements and acts about violations of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus, which had been composed by him and his proxies.
11.10.2008 Shklou: ‘draft’ protocols are not considered as a violation of the electoral laws
On 28 September, the Election Day, a member of Shklou constituency election commission Piatro Mihurski found three invalid final protocols of precinct election commissions. Two of them were from the village of Alexandria (the birthplace of Alexander Lukashenka). One of them was not filled, but was signed by the members of the commissions (so that the necessary numbers could be put later). The other was filled in pencil and also signed by members of the commission. The third (from the village of Bushliaki), was not filled, but was signed as well. As a result Piatro Mihurski refused to sign the protocol on the election results, which was prepared by Shklou constituency election commission. Instead he demanded that his commission annulled the results of the election s at Shklou constituency. He also addressed the Central election commission with an appropriate application.
11.10.2008 Salihorsk: police beat human rights activist
On 9 October in Salihorsk the human rights activist Yana Palyakova was beaten up by unknown people. She was beaten again at the police department. She said in an interview to RFE/RL she had been attacked at 5 in the evening.
06.10.2008 Ales Bialiatski: ‘Authorities are no longer ashamed of observers’
Belarusian human rights activists state that it is almost impossible to inform the public about the registered violations of the laws and falsifications of the elections in Belarus, and the authorities use them shamelessly.
03.10.2008 The parliament amends the Law on Procuracy
The House of Representatives amended the Law on Procuracy of the Republic of Belarus according to which proficiency examination and practical training are not needed for work in procuracy.
02.10.2008 Authorities demand from oppositional parties ‘explanations’ concerning protests against rigged elections
Representatives of democratic forces state that after the departure of international observers the authorities returned to persecution of the opposition.
