Babruisk: Election campaigning under police surveillance (photo)

The first picket to collect signatures for candidates of the campaign "Tell the Truth", Alena Miadzvedzeva, Uladzimir Shcharbatykh, Anastasia Miadzvedzeva and Aksana Samuilava, was staged on Tuesday at the entrance to the Babruisk-based market "Paunochny".

“When we arrived, there was already a car with the KGB employees,” says Alena Miadzvedzeva. “They did not get out of the car, but filmed everything. Later they were joined by the police and Pershamaiski district administration officials. Large amounts of "observers" from the authorities frightened Babruisk residents and they reluctantly signed for the candidates. For example, one man came up to sign, and a policeman slipped up a camera to his face, so he was startled and said, "Okay, I'll sign it next time."

Alena Miadzvedzeva added that administration officials were unhappy with picket, it seemed to them that it is not the collection of signatures, but campaigning for the "People's Referendum."

“They threatened me with administrative prosecution but in the end everything ended with a warning. In any case, we did not stop the picket, and held it until the end. Uladzimir Niakliayeu came to support us. Babruisk residents reacted very positively to our "board of proposals" – a stand with sheets of paper on which passers-by could write their urgent problems. People wrote about the bad water, about street lighting, it was a fun highlight of the picket,” noted the Babruisk activist.

"Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections"