News on the topic: presidential elections-2010
23.03.2011 Rechytsa human rights defender harassed ahead of 25 March
On 22 March, Rechytsa human rights defender Valery Putsitski received a written warning of possible prosecution for involvement in unauthorized events during the forthcoming 25 March Freedom Day celebrations.
23.03.2011 Prosecutor General bans inspection of detention conditions at KGB prison
A number of Vitsebsk civil activists have been refused to carry out an inspection of detention conditions at the KGB Minsk pre-trial prison, after their appeal to the Prosecutor General of Belarus was redirected to Minsk City Prosecutor’s Office.
22.03.2011 KGB bans meeting of Mikalai Statkevich with father
Viktar Statkevich, 84-year-old father of former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich, who has been in custody in the KGB pre-trial prison since 19 December 2010, has not so far been allowed to have a meeting with his son, despite an application submitted to the prison’s administration.
21.03.2011 Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (March 14-20)
Politically motivated prosecutions have continued to gather pace: charges concerning the 19 December events were brought against another former presidential candidate Dzmitry Us, charges against another former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich were changed. Within the framework of the criminal case, law enforcement agencies continued carrying out interrogations and searches. Ales Mikhalevich left Belarus in fear of another arrest, following his release on recognizance. Human rights defenders encountered new harassment facts. Freedom of speech and freedom of peaceful assembly were still considerably restricted. More detentions were reported. The existence of a “black list” was reported by the media: the authorities banned a number of concerts by Belarusian rock bands. Six artworks to be exhibited at the “Pahonia” art exhibition were rejected due to censorship.
14.03.2011 Presidential candidate and former KGB prisoner Aliaksei Mikhalevich fled from Belarus
The presidential candidate has written in his blog that now he is in the place “out of reach for the KGB”.
10.03.2011 Administrative case against Kastus Shytal is dropped
The trial on the case of Kastys Shytal, a civil activist from the town of Hlybokaye, journalist for westki.info, lasted for 5 minutes. Judge of the Hlybokaye District Court Iryna Kazak ruled to drop the case due to the expiry of the terms for administrative punishment.
09.03.2011 Trial of observer of Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections scheduled for 10 March
Kastus Shytal, a civil activist from the town of Hlybokaye, a correspondent with the internet edition westki.info, received a summons to the Hlybokaye District Court for 10 March. He had been an observer of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee during the latest presidential election.
23.02.2011 ODIHR publishes final report on Belarus presidential election
The 19 December presidential election in Belarus was marked by a lack of independence and impartiality of the election administration, an uneven playing field and a restrictive media environment, as well as a lack of transparency at key stages of the electoral process, concludes ODIHR’s final report published on 22 February.
14.02.2011 Final HRD Monitoring Report on Presidential Election in Belarus
“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” campaign presents its final monitoring report on the 2010 presidential election in Belarus. The report gives the campaign's overall conclusions on the election, provides comprehensive analysis of the voting and counting stages and includes recommendations on how the election process could be brought in line with international standards.
08.02.2011 Dzmitry Uss is forced to testify against Mikalai Statkevich
On 4 February the former presidential candidate Dzmitry Uss was summonsed for the fourth interrogation within the framework of the ‘mass riot’ criminal case.
08.02.2011 Election aftermath: Docent Piatro Mihursk dismissed from Mahiliou State University of Nutrition
Piatro Mihurski, candidate of economical science, had to write an application for retiring on his own will. During the presidential electoral campaign he was an electioneering agent of Uladzimir Niakliayeu. In addition, he supported R.Kastusiou, U.Niakliayeu, V.Rymasheuski and A.Sannikau on the stage of collection of signatures in support of their candidacies.
20.01.2011 Evaluation of Events Related to the Presidential Election: Position of the Human Rights Center "Viasna"
The Human Rights Centre "Viasna", as one of the participants of the national monitoring mission “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”, cannot but mention some improvements at separate stages of the campaign, but in general, believes the 2010 presidential election fell short of a number of key international standards for democratic elections. The Election of the President of the Republic of Belarus has neither been recognized as free nor democratic by the OSCE / ODIHR international election observation mission. Since 1996, no Belarusian election campaigns, including presidential ones of 2001 and 2006, have been recognized by OSCE as compliant with international standards for free and democratic elections.
14.01.2011 Aliaksandr Vasileuski – another suspect in ‘mass riot’ case
Aliaksandr Vasileuski had served a 15-day arrest for participation in the protest action of 19 December. Investigators of the Tsentralny District Police Department of Minsk came to his apartment late in the evening and presented a warrant for his detention as a suspect in the criminal case upon Article 293, instigated concerning the events of 19 December. The warrant was signed by an investigator of the Tsentralny District Police Department of Minsk Yu. Baraznouski, on agreement of an investigator of the preliminary investigation board, lieutenant colonel H.Kazakevich.
13.01.2011 Andrei Mikalayeu – another suspect in ‘mass riot’ case
Andrei Mikalayeu was detained at home in the evening of 11 January. KGB officers held a search at his apartment, took away the system block of his computer, a photo camera, CDs and DVDs and guarded him to the detention center in Akrestsin Street for 3 days as a suspect in the criminal case upon Article 293, ‘mass riot’, concerning the 19 December protest rally.
12.01.2011 Asipovichy: activist of Uladzimir Niakliayeu’s electoral team dismissed from work
Ihar Treshchau, an activists of the electoral team of the presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu, was dismissed from the mobile mechanized column #95 where he dealt with equipment maintenance. He worked there for six months and had no reprimands for this time.
