CEC dismisses Ivan Amelchanka's complaint

On July 27, the Central Election Commission (CEC) dismissed a complaint over a refusal to register an initiative group of Ivan Amelchanka, the author of Musorok performance.

The CEC thinks the rules of filing an application were violated – the application was sent by mail, though the legislation provides for submitting document seither personally or by proxy, BelaPAN news agency reports.

Besides, the CEC doubts the complaint was filed by Amelchanka personally, because it was not sent via the administration of the detention facility, where he serves his term in custody.

Lidzia Yarmoshyna said at a press conference on July 26 that a refusal to register Ivan Amelchaka's initiative group had legal grounds. The CEC head does not think Alyaksandr Lukashenka should have been denied registration of his initiative group in 2010, because he did not file documents personally.

“It was an order at the presidential elections: documents must be submitted by an aspirant for presidency or by his authorized representative. In that case, Lukashenka gave a power of attorney to head of the initiative group Alyaksandr Radzkou, who filed ht e documents to the Central Election Commission,” Yarmoshyna said.

Special guidebooks were published ahead of the “parliamentary election”. According to them, documents for initiative group registration can be lodged either or by proxy. If an application is sent by mail, it must be declined. “Our explanation must be fulfilled as all norms of law,” the CEC head noted.

Amelchanka is serving his term in custody. He was detained on July 17, the day after sending an application. He was found guilty of violating article 23.4 of the Code of Administrative Offences (failure to obey lawful orders of an official on duty) and thrown into a detention centre for 12 days. Amelchanka filed his complaint to the CEC via his lawyer protesting against the refusal to register his initiative group.