27.09.2008 Candidates burn their IDs

Parliamentary candidates of the “European Coalition” burnt their IDs of candidates near the building of the Central Election Commission in protest of rigging of the “parliamentary election“ results.

Activists of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada) Vasil Vavrenyuk and Viktar Kantsavenka burnt their IDs. Vasil Vavreniuk ran for parliament in Belavezhski district #8 (Brest region), Viktar Kantsavenka ran in Buda-Kashaliou district #38 (Homel region).

27.09.2008 Scandal: Ballot-stuffing recorded

A ballot box was opened during the lunch break from 2.00 to 4.00 pm at polling station #456 in Minsk, observer Vital Stazharou reports to ucpb.org.

He came to the polling station after lunch and found out that seal on the ballot box didn’t look like at a photo, he took at 2.00 pm. At 4.00 pm, leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka, who runs in this district (Staravilenskaya #5), and OSCE international observer from Estonia came to the station.

Head of the commission Mikalai Lahunovich denies the fact of opening the box. He even said Vital Stozharau might stay for a night at the polling station.

“It is clear that ballots were replaced in the box,” Anatol Lyabedzka thinks. “And unprecedented fact – the offer to stay for a night at the station – confirms the fact.”

26.09.2008 Krychau: Does ideology worker conceal his job from voters?

Observer Raman Razhdzestvenski reports, candidate Natallia Belkina produced two types of leaflets, in which she mentioned different places as her current job.

26.09.2008 Baranavichy: Report once you've voted

We have received another documented evidence of the fact that school teachers and staff are “insistently asked” to vote early from Baranavichy. Moreover, those who have cast votes have to sign the special lists which are kept in the teachers’ room.

26.09.2008 Mahiliou: Information about candidate not posted because… he has no higher education

At polling station # 40 of district # 85 campaign materials of Aliaksei Paulouski are not posted.

Aliaksei Paulouski points out, he visited polling stations many times and noticed that some of them failed to place his campaign materials on the board.

26.09.2008 Minsk: Replacement of early voting ballot papers is to take place tonight

Friday, September 26th – is the “test” day for early voting. It is believed, replacement of ballot papers will occur tonight when the voting ends. Such a conclusion is made on the basis of information coming from staffers of different Minsk institutions and organizations.

26.09.2008 Hrodna: Youth forced to vote early

Today Siarhei Malchyk, agent of candidate Siarhei Antusevich, encountered a group of BRSM activists, who were stopping students and forced them to go to the polls and vote early.

26.09.2008 Belarusians “persuaded” to vote early.

Vitebsk, Biaroza, Navapolatsak, Polatsak

26.09.2008 Candidate uses work phones and staff

On September 25th Yuras Zhydovich, voter in Brest –Centralnaya district, called on the number 42-65-58, indicated in the campaign leaflet of candidate Larysa Bahdanovich. Bahdanovich is head physician of the regional center for rehabilitation for children with psycho-neurotic diseases. The phone was answered by secretary of the medical center. On the question about meetings of the candidate with voters she answered that no more meetings were planned. The secretary was so aware of the campaign as if she works not in the medical institution but in the candidate’s headquarters.

Evidently, Larysa Bahdanovich uses not only her work phones, but also her personnel, her subordinates in order to achieve her political goals. This is prohibited by the law.

26.09.2008 Commissions conceal the number of people who voted early

Vitebsk, Drahichyn...

26.09.2008 Slutsk: Teachers forced to vote early

BHC representative in Salihorsk Leanid Markhotka took a picture of an ad placed on the billboard in Slutsk gymnasia # 1: “Dear colleagues! Today (September 25th) it is necessary to vote promptly. Lists of the teachers who had not voted yet were requested from the precinct election commissions”, – the ad says. It is signed by deputy principal Uladzimir Yablychkin.

25.09.2008 Svetlahorsk: Unequal conditions for campaigning

Official newspapers in Svetlahorsk continue to promote “official” candidate Valiantsina Kavaliova (incumbent MP and former deputy head of ideology department of rayon executive committee).

25.09.2008 Kalinkavichy: Observer summoned to prosecutor’s office

On September 24th, two policemen of Kalinkavichy department visited the polling station where BHC observer Dzianis Rabianok observed the process of early voting.

They handed Dzianis the summons to come to Kalinkavichy prosecutor’s office on September 26th. The summons does not describe the reason of the call. The policemen also refused to explain why Dzianis was summoned. Earlier Yelsk prosecutor’s office insisted on Dzianis’ visit, also giving no explanations about the reasons of such calls.

25.09.2008 Mazyr: Officials offended by UCP candidate’s speech

Leanid Arlou, UCP candidate in Mazyr district # 42, did not expect inadequate reaction to his TV speech.

At first he had to listen to words of indignation from executive officer of Mazyr rayon executive committee M. Pashynski (he is also chair of the district election commission), and head of the executive committee’s organizational department V. Ulasevich (who is also the district commission’s secretary). In addition he received a warning for “untactful way of campaigning”. By the way, the warning issued on September 19th was cancelled by the CEC on the 22nd.

25.09.2008 Problem campaigning: News from the regions

News bits from the regions