Homel: somebody purposefully removes electoral posters of candidates

The electoral posters of the presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau disappeared from the informational stands of the Navabelitski district of Homel. ’In the morning all electoral posters at about 15 informational stands were at their places, but in 2 hours all of them were removed. Somebody must have purposefully torn them away,’ explained the democratic activist Viktar Kazlou.

It’s worth mentioning that the electoral posters of all candidates but Lukashenka are regularly painted with swastikas or insults by unknown persons. For instance, the slogan ‘Down with the Pole!’ was written on the electoral poster of Vital Rymasheuski in Zharkouski Street, though it’s well-known that he is Belarusian by nationality.

Homel human rights defenders also state the lack of places for agitation. For instance, the authorities determined just of 90 x 100 cm space at the informational stands for all ten candidates – the rest is occupied by commercial ads. However, this space is enough just for placing posters of 2 candidates, not 10. ‘Should we start a contest right there, remove the posters of others or over-post them?’, asks the civil activist Kastus Zhukouski.

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections