Zhodzina: Human Rights Activists Aliaksei Lapitski Compains to Zhodzina City Procurator’s Office against Liquidation of Agitation Materials of Candidate Aliaksandr Milinkevich

The human rights activist of Zhodzina Aliaksei Lapitski complained to Zhodzina City Procurator’s Office against the liquidation of the agitation materials of the candidate to the presidential position Aliaksandr Milinkevich. The agitation materials were destroyed at the check-points of Belarusian Car Plant. During a direct meeting with the procurator V.Litvinenka Mr Lapitski explained him the essence of the massive violations that continued in Zhodzina. The procurator again promised to discriminate in the matter. However, the local authorities continue hindering the agitation for Aliaksandr Milinkevich.

In his complaint A.Lapitski, stated that the liquidation of the agitation materials was a result ‘of organized activity of the ideological departments of enterprises, organizations and institutions of Zhodzina that are directed by the deputy chair of Zhodzina City Executive Committee Uladzimir Siamashka and the chair of the organizational and personnel department of the CEC Siarhei Afanasenkau and inaction of Zhodzina City Election Commission (chair A.Puhach, secretary Tatsiana Krautsevich, telephones in Zhodzina - 3-44-46, 7-17-01).

1. UIadzimir Siamashka removed Milinkevich’s posters from the shop opposite the main post office of Zhodzina.
2. The deputy chair of the open join-stock company Merkuryi and Co Halina Pachebyt removed the posters from shop #23 (her telephone is 3-34-33, the chair of the company Halina Trublina had been warned for violation of part 9 of article 45 of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus).
3. An unknown official of regional level didn’t introduce himself and insulted an agitator for Milinkevich. He removed a poster that hanged near the main post office.
4. On 8-9 March all posters of Milinkevich were removed from at the Stomatological clinic (they used to hang on the wall in the check-room, on a wall and a column on the second floor).
5. In Tsentralny supermarket all posters were removed. Instead the administration hanged only one poster in the place where he could be easily torn off.
6. Siarhei Afanasenkau pressurized the administration of the bar Alivaryia in order to make them remove Milinkevich’s poster. After the agitators had an explanatory talk with the bar host they managed to hang there two posters.
7. When a general poster with the photos and information about all four candidates to the presidential position appeared at Zhodzina out-patient hospital, two of three Milinkevich’s posters were removed. Instead the administration hanged several posters with the slogan For Belarus! on the front window.

There can be observed mass hanging of posters with the slogan For Belarus! These posters have a clear electoral undertone, because they use the main electoral slogan of the candidate who represents the present authorities and are oriented at subconscious opposition of all other candidates to the presidential position to all categories of the Belarusian People - workers, peasants, school-children, etc. It seems be a well-organized action of the official candidate. These posters are produced for the means that exceed the finances that are issued for agitation by the Central Election Commission. So, this is an evident violation of the principle of equality and legality during the process of agitation.