Haradok: neither voters, nor district commission aware of composition of precinct commissions

According to the election law of the Republic of Belarus and the Calendar Plan of the Election Events, precinct election commissions were to be created no later than August 13th. Decisions about creation of the precinct commissions, with indication of their membership lists, location, and contact phone numbers were to be published in local state media during 7 days from their creation.  

On August 16th Haradokski Vestnik newspaper (funded by rayon executive committee and rayon Council of Haradok, Vitebsk region) published the decision of Haradok rayon executive committee “About creation of precinct election commissions for elections to the Chamber of Representatives of the 4th convocation”. There was no reference to the number of the decision and the date it had been made.

The newspaper failed to publish the whole decision, publishing only 3 out of 34 (!) precinct election commissions. It was continued in the next issue on August 19th (# 64). The newspaper published lists of 14 more precinct election commissions. Still, the lists of the other 17 precinct commissions were not made available for the voters. The next issue of Haradokski Vestnik newspaper is to come out only on August 23rd.

On August 21st member of Vitebsk rural district commission # 21 Vadzim Vishneuski explained, the commission did not have the lists and recommended the monitors to address the rayon executive committee. That way we come to conclusion the lists of precinct election commissions were not available not only for voters, but also for the district election commission.

On August 21st monitor Pavel Levinau complained about those violations to the Central Election Commission.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections