27.09.2010 Pinsk: no political party members on town election commission

On 27 September, a joint meeting of Pinsk town executive committee and the presidium of town council of deputies elected the staff of town election commission. As a result, representatives of the opposition ‘Just World’ party and the pro-state Communist Party of Belarus were not included in Pinsk town election commission.

27.09.2010 Homel opposition not included in regional election commission

Homel opposition activists were not allowed to join Homel regional executive commission, despite 6 nominations by various political parties. Most of the commission members are the persons who worked on the commission during the 2010 local elections.

27.09.2010 UCP activists not included in district election commissions

Dobrush, Kalinkavichy and Buda-Kashaliova (Homel region) activists of the United Civil Party were not allowed to join local election commissions, after their nomination applications were refused by executive authorities.

27.09.2010 Hrodna and Mahiliou authorities ban campaigning in most of public places

Hrodna city executive committee has released a special decree, enumerating the public places banned for election campaigning activities. Thus, most of the city’s public places cannot be used for collecting signatures for presidential candidates.

27.09.2010 Maladechna: Lukashenka’s initiative group forced formation

Maladechna teachers were forced to join the initiative group for nominating the current President Aliaksandr Lukashenka, local observers report.

24.09.2010 Campaigning for Lukashenka already underway

Local pro-state media have already started the pre-election campaign of the current president Aliaksandr Lukashenka, despite the fact he has not yet officially announced his run in the forthcoming presidential election.

24.09.2010 Salihorsk residents support Pahaniayla’s initiative

A number of Salihorsk residents have addressed the Central Election Committee with a demand to dismiss the registration application of the current president Aliaksandr Lukashenka. Earlier, a similar statement was made by the famous Belarusian human rights activist Harry Pahaniayla.

23.09.2010 UCP leaders to block party members’ collaboration with other candidates

On 22 September the Political Council of the United Civil Party officially warned the party members of their possible expulsion from the party in case of involvement in the campaign teams of candidates, other than the UCP presidential hopeful Yaraslau Ramanchuk.

23.09.2010 Niakliayeu’s campaign chief fined

Today, on 23 September, Salihorsk court fined Tatsiana Kuchynskaya, head of Uladzimir Niakliayeu’s local campaign headquarters, BYR 1,400,000 for alleged violating Paragraph 2 Article 22.9 of the Mass Media Code (illegal production and distribution of mass media).

23.09.2010 Homel Coalition of United Pro-Dem Forces to nominate 30 activists for local election commissions

On 22 September, the Homel Coalition of United Pro-Democratic Forces reiterated its position on the degree of participation in the forthcoming presidential election, approved by the Coalition back in July 2009.

22.09.2010 Viasna and BHC present election observation campaign in Brussels

Representatives of the two key human rights organizations of Belarus – Human Rights Center “Viasna” and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee – presented the presidential election observation campaign during their three-day visit to Brussels.

22.09.2010 Vitsebsk officials involved in overt postal censorship, says local pro-dem activist

Vitsebsk pro-democratic activist Aliaksei Haurutsikau has lodged a complaint with Vitsebsk regional prosecutor’s office and the local office of the Belposhta state-run postal network, arguing that two registered letters containing application papers of Mikalai Statkevich’s and Uladzimir Niakliayeu’s initiative groups were opened and part of the documents were seized.

22.09.2010 Local authorities’ websites of Homel region hush up election

The official websites of a number of districts of Homel region, including Rahachou, Loyeu, Brahin, Buda-Kashaliova, Mazyr and Vetka, have not yet announced the start of the presidential election campaign.

22.09.2010 Harry Pahaniayla demands not to register Lukashenka's initiative group

The lawyer hopes that this proposal to file a petition to the CEC would become an example to be followed by other Belarusian citizens.

The lawyer of the human rights organization “Belarusian Helsinki Committee” Harry Pahanyajla is preparing a petition to the Central Election Commission with a demand to deny registration to the initiative group for nomination Alyaksandr Lukashenka as a candidate for presidency.

21.09.2010 Presidential Election: Weekly Analytical Review

The legal basis of the electoral system of the Republic of Belarus is made up of the Constitution, Electoral Code, other legislative acts of the Republic of Belarus and statements (decisions) of the Central Commission for Elections and National Referendums (hereinafter – the Central Election Commission, or the CEC).