Ex-candidate continues appealing his detention at polling station

October 2, civil society activist Valery Karankevich against filed a complaint to the Office of Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus.

In his complaint, Mr. Karankevich appeals actions of officials of the Khotsimsk District Police Department, Khotsimsk prosecutors, the prosecutors of the Mahiliou region, Head of the department of the Prosecutor's Office for supervision over the observance of the rights and freedoms of citizens, and requests to declare the answers in the case groundless and illegal. The activist also requires an investigation into these violations and to bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with the law, and giving him a written reasoned reply within the statutory period.

In his appeal Mr. Karankevich reiterates the staff of the General Prosecutor's Office that he filed all previous complaints against the illegal actions of the Khotsimsk District Police Department, therefore he considers unfounded the references of the prosecutors to Article 49-1 of the Election Code, which provides for ten-day term of appealing violations of the Electoral Code.

The activist argues that there was no urgent need for his detention at the entrance to the polling station and delivery to the Khotsimsk District Police Department immediately before the beginning of the counting of votes. In violation of the Belarusian legislation, Khotsimsk police officers refused to draw up a detention report, and prevented Valery Karankevich, who was a candidate for a local council, from observing the counting of votes.

Prior to this appeal, Valery Karankevich repeatedly tried to appeal the illegal detentions at the prosecutor's offices of different levels, including the Office of Prosecutor General, but to no avail.

"I again went to Minsk on 2 October to personally file a complaint to the Prosecutor General”, says Valery Karankevich. “I decided for myself that I will go through all levels of legal authority to restore justice, because I believe that the Khotsimsk police detained me directly at the polling station before the vote counting illegally and will defend my opinion to the end. In a fairly short time we will have the next presidential election, and if we don't make the police to comply with the law now, they'll just break it again, being confident of their impunity."

Bear in mind that at about 8 p.m. on March 23 a candidate for the Mahiliou Regional Council of Deputies at Khotsimsk constituency No. 54 and a candidate for the Khotsimsk District Council at Uzbiarezhnaya constituency №13 from the campaign "Tell the Truth" Valery Karankevich was detained by the police at Internatsyianalny polling station No.3 in Khotsimsk. Two police majors guarded him to the Khotsimsk District Police Department, where he was detained for about 40 minutes and then was released without being given any charges. They stated that the reason for the detention was a complaint of a member of the Khotsimsk polling station election commission No. 54, Mikalai Tamashou. As a result of the unlawful detention, Valery Karankevich missed the opportunity to observe the counting of votes at the polling station.