Mahiliou: BCD candidate detained after she caught election commission member rigging vote results

Ms. Marya Kulmanava, Belarusian Christian Democracy member, running for the Mahiliou City and Regional Councils, took two marked ballots from an election commission member.

‘I was talking to an election commission member, when she was called and given something by the other commissioners. When I asked what it was, the lady said those were ballots, which she had been asked to cast in the box by the election commission members,’ says Ms. Kulmanava.

The candidate took the ballots and found they were marked: one of them had a vote for candidate Siarhei Machekin, the other – for Aliaksandr Kursakou.

The election commission chair admitted the violation. However, the candidate was then detained by the police and taken to the chair’s office.

 ‘Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections’