Observer: Commission members trained how to violate the code

A training course for members of district election commissions was held in Brest.

Alyaksei Koutun, an observer from the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in Brest-Pamezhny constituency No. 4, says he heard instructions that violate the electoral code, Radio Svaboda repots.

The workshop was organized in a form of a role playing game with a real ballot box, Ales Koutun says:

“They staged the work of the election commission. They studied various issues, but the most important, in my view, thing – presence of observers – wasn’t discussed. They did not say how close observers can stand during the vote counting process and if they can see ballot papers. A question of ballot papers for voting at home was also discussed. Under the code, the number of ballots should be the same as the number of applications from voters. But the trainer said they give out more ballots to avoid mistakes. In fact, she admitted she violated the law on elections and encouraged the others to violate it.”

Alyaksei Koutun said the training gathered more than 100 members of district commissions.