European Net of Election Monitoring Organizations Urges Council of Europe, OSCE, UNO and International Community to Use Its Influence on Belarusian Authorities for Release of Observers

On 2 march the European Net of Election Monitoring Organizations expressed its protest against the arrest of the four Belarusian observers from the unregistered organization Partnership (which is an ENEMO member). The KGB detained Mikalai Astreika, Enira Branitskaia, Tsimafei Dranchuk and Aliaksandr Shalaika on suspicion in ‘heading an unregistered organization on election monitoring’. KGB workers confiscated all equipment and documents from the office of Partnership.

ENEMO condemned of these actions of the Belarusian authorities and stated it was an attempt to break the spirit of the local public observers. Referring to the fact that such actions were a violation of all convents on public and political rights, ENEMO demanded to release the public activists and urged the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the UNO and the international community to use their influence for the release of the observers.