Chair of Homel regional election commission comments on canvassing violations

In an interview with the ‘Sovetski Rayon’ state-run newspaper, Chair of Homel regional election commission Aliaksandr Usau commented on a number of case when local observers reported violations during canvassing activities.

Speaking of the alleged illegal canvassing for signatures among the students of the Belarusian State University of Transport, Mr. Usau said that ‘Vice-Rector Halina Chayankova did canvass for signatures, but she did that while on leave and thus could not force the students to give their signatures.’

The official also mentioned another complaint lodged by the activists of the ‘Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections’ civil campaign, following an incident when several members of Vital Rymasheuski’s campaign team were not let into the premises of a hostel of Medical University. Mr. Usau said that the administration finally allowed organizing a picket in the University lobby.

Meanwhile, on 19 October the security staff of Belarusian Trade and Economy University did not let the campaign activists of Ales Mikhalevich and Ryhor Kastusiou canvass for signatures in the University hostel.

‘Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections’