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Boycott-2008

Parliamentary “elections” are to be held in Belarus in autumn 2008. In the connection with tightening of political repressions in the country, unwillingness of the regime to liberalise the electoral legislation, as well as with the fact that since 1996 all elections and referendums in Belarus have been recognised as unfree and nondemocratic by international organisations, Zmitser Bandarenka, coordinator of Charter’97, has addressed the democratic forces with a proposal to boycott the elections.

Topic: Boycott-2008

5.09.2008

9:47 Calls for early voting 3
On September 4, Vitsebsk region newspaper “Narodnaye Slova) (founded by the Vitsebsk region Council of Deputies and the region executive committee) called on the electorate to vote early from September 23 to 27.
8:46 Authorities ignored demands of opposition parties
The Central Election Commission didn’t agree on including a question on checking legality of polling stations election commissions formation into the agenda of its latest session.

4.09.2008

17:29 CEC’s enjoys a small triumph: only 8 appeals out of 51 are granted 6
The CEC has finished considering appeals of contenders denied registration as candidates for deputies. Only 8 appeals have been granted over the two days. The deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front party Vintsuk Vyachorka, the leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic party (Narodnaya Hramada) Mikalay Statkevich, the head of Minsk regional branch of the BPF party Syarhei Salash haven’t been registered.
17:10 100 Russian journalists to arrive in Belarus for the “election” 1
100 representatives of Russian media are to go on a “press-tour” around Belarus on 5–8 September. They are to visit Minsk, Zaslauye, Slutsk, Salihorsk, and Barysau.
16:45 Vintsuk Vyachorka denied registration by CEC 3
The CEC has finished consideration of complaints against denials to register candidates for deputies. Only 8 complaints have been satisfied over the last two days out of 51, and 3 today.
16:34 Candidates of Kalyakin’s party work in the “Association of Belarus and Russia’s integration promotion” 7
The candidate for deputy of the Party of Communists of Belarus headed by Syarhei Kalyakin, works in the public association of Belarus and Russia’s integration “Togeter” (“Vmeste”).
14:39 Head of Homel BPF organisation Valer Putsinski: “We should have boycotted this “election” from the beginning”
Activist of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), MP candidate Valer Putsinski, said he withdrew his candidature fro the “election”. Putsinski informed the Rechytsa district election commission about his decision on September 1.
14:33 Yarmoshyna calls Churov to lend a hand to her 1
The chairman of the Central election commission of Russia Vladimir Churov will take part in monitoring of the parliamentary elections in Belarus. The CEC chair Lidziya Yarmoshyna has told about that to journalists.
14:05 Lyabedzka’s apartment seized 10
On September 3, leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka a notice saying the court of the Tsentralny district of Minsk seized his apartment allegedly for his failure to pay penalty for participation in the European March organising, held in Minsk on October 14, 2007.
13:42 Official press refused to publish programmes of Lyabedzka and Bahdankevich 11
“Respublika”, an official newspaper of the Council of Minister of Belarus, refused to publish election programmes of MP candidates representing the United Civil Party.
11:56 Boycott to fraud and farce (Photo) 4
Calls to boycott the oncoming “parliamentary election” are spread in different cities of the country. New stickers and graffiti have recently appeared in Brest.
10:57 Yarmoshyna asks not to educate her: “It costs much” 19
Head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna expressed her sharp reaction to a statement of a nominee for candidates concerning democratic character of the “election process” in the country during considering the complaints of unregistered candidates form Minsk.
10:48 Cheap and fake excuse 43
Work with electorate is just a typical excuse. Party members can communicate with the nation when they want, nobody is hindering them.
9:28 Salary of “MPs” ten times higher than ones of workers 9
On August 30, data on total income and property of MP candidates in the Baranavichy rural election district #7 were published in the 67th issue of the state-run newspaper “Lyakhavitski Vesnik”.
9:19 Pickets in memory of abducted prohibited 1
On September 3 the court of Leninski district of Brest dismissed complain of Andrei Sharenda and Vital Symonik against a prohibition to hold a picket on July 7, dedicated to the 8th anniversary of Dzmitry Zavadsky’s abduction.
8:36 Such MPs will vote for bringing Russian troops into Belarus 14
Why shouldn’t we go to the falsified polls? Because this election is not for the benefit of Belarus. Because results of the voting don’t depend on an elector. Because if people go to the polls, it will be used for falsification.

3.09.2008

18:53 Leader of Homel branch of UCP Vasil Palyakou: “Self-respect does not allow me to participate in this farce” 4
Long-term observers of the ODIHR/OSCE have visited Homel region. Beside meetings with workers of official institutions and election commissions, observers had talks with representatives of the democratic forces. And primarily with those who refused to take part in the “elections” as candidates for deputies.
17:48 Boycott has already taken place
Certainly, there would be a semblance of “voting”. Students, military men, collective farmers, patients of hospitals and many others will be driven to take part in early vote under a threat of expelling form the apartment, punishment, dismissal…
15:53 Artist Ales Pushkin seized computer during searching 6
Artist Ales Pushkin demands to return his things he was seized during the search in the case of Minsk blast. He sent an appropriate request to prosecutor of Minsk Mikalai Kulik.
15:33 Lyavon Barshcheuski: “We must demand new election” 5
“The authorities have screwed up this “election”, so we had to demand new date for the election and new election. We can achieve it only by breaking the plan of the authorities,” chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front Lyavon Barshcheuski said at an online conference at Radio Svaboda’s website.
14:17 CEC denied communists registration 6
The Central Election Committee dismissed complaints of four MP candidates in the Brest region.
14:00 Yarmoshyna charged with dissemination of lies 6
On September 3 at 3 p.m. the Central Elections Commission will consider letters of complaint of persons nominated as candidates for deputies in Minsk region, and not registered by district commissions.
12:21 Ministry of Justice makes BPF remove white-red-white flag 1
An office of the Belarusian Popular Front was visited by a consultant of the department of non-governmental organisation of the Ministry of Justice Alyaksandr Kharyton.
12:05 Strange flirting with dictatorship 11
Belarusian experts say statements of Lithuanian Prime Minister during his meeting with the Belarusian PM are strange.
11:36 Youth demand really free and democratic elections (Photo) 2
Stickers with the call to boycott the “parliamentary elections” are disseminated in Minsk massively.
11:23 Teachers used for campaigning for pro-regime candidate
Before the beginning of the new educational year in Pinsk a plenary session of teachers of the town took place in the town’s House of Culture. More than 700 teachers and headmasters have taken part in the event.
11:15 International Federation of Human Rights: “Authorities ignoring opinion of people are illegitimate”
“Opinion of people should come first in democratic countries. If election is undemocratic, people have the right to protest in the streets,” Secretary General of the International Federation of Human Rights Luis Guillermo Perez told in an interview to the Charter’97 press center.
8:32 Rallies in support of elections boycott held by Belarusian expat community (Photo)
Belarusian expat community has staged a rally in support of the “parliamentary elections” boycott in Belarus.

2.09.2008

17:42 Policemen drawn up a report against wheelchair user for picketing city executive committee 6
Today a disabled person, a wheelchair user Uladzimir Vusikau picketed the city executive committee in Mahilyou. He demanded to reinstate him in the queue for public welfare homes, and compensate a voucher for sanatorium-resort therapy for him.
17:38 World remembers about forceful disappearances in Belarus (Photo)
“We Remember” initiative held an action of memory of forcefully disappeared Yury Zakharanka, Viktar Hanchar, Anatol Krasouski, and Zmitser Zavadski in Amsterdam on the International Day of the Disappeared.
15:59 Tortures in Belarusian prisons: inhuman conditions, police violence and intimidation 5
The International Federation of Human Rights has called upon countries of the world to refrain from extradition of convicted to Belarus. Incarceration conditions in prisons and remand prisons in the country are inhuman.
13:33 West shouldn’t’ take part in bargaining by political hostages
Any regime in its arbitrary decisions always evaluates the force of resistance of the civil society and political opposition. None of the modern dictators started from total lawlessness immediately: he was permitted to so by his entourage and key players in the international arena, writes one of the leaders of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada, a former political prisoner Syarhei Skrabets.
12:22 Democrats of withdrawn their representatives from 1
On September 1 the presidium of Homel regional and city Council of Deputies, as well as Homel regional executive committee and city executive committee applications of district commission members nominated by democratic parties, were sent. They refused to continue work in the commissions.
10:55 Police called in paddy wagon for participants of protest rally against school reform
On September 1 activists of the youth organisation of the Belarusian Popular Front party “Moladz BNF” held a protest rally against school reform.
10:12 Opposition candidates are not admitted to TV 4
Candidates, representing the authorities, are often showed on TV, while the opposition still have no access to the air.
8:49 Anatol Lyabedzka: “It would be comfortable for me to get 15 days of arrest” 34
Leader of the United Civil Party spoke against boycotting of the “parliamentary election”, having offended many opposition activists who had gone through repressions and prisons in Belarus.
8:18 Two UCP candidates withdraw from “election”
Head of the Homel regional organisation of the United Civil Party Vasil Palyakou and Homel UCP activist Leanid Sudalenka refused to run in the parliamentary election.

1.09.2008

16:07 Valery Putsitski: “I will withdraw from elections these days” 2
A member of the Belarusian Popular Front party, a candidate for deputy of the “chamber of representatives” in Rechytsa electoral district No. 44 Valery Putsistji has stated that he withdraws from the elections.
15:43 Human rights activists: MP aspirants screened out behind closed doors 3
Rate of unregistered democratic candidates on the “parliamentary election” is extremely high, so one can’t say the oncoming “election” is democratic.
14:17 Attempt to detain an activist of “European Belarus” in hospital
An activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Marta Majseenka is persecuted for dissemination of informational materials calling upon boycott of the upcoming “parliamentary elections”.
14:08 Christian Democrats set to boycott “elections” 2
Members of the organising committee for creation of the “Belarusian Christian Democracy” (BCD) will withdraw their candidates from the pre-election campaign before September 23.
13:55 Why should oppositionists save regime of Lukashenka? 26
After democratic candidates withdraw from the “election”, the whole world will see political bankruptcy of the Belarusian dictatorship. Zmitser Bandarenka, coordinator of the Charter’97, one of the leaders of the “European Belarus” civil campaign, thinks so.
13:11 Before Lukashenka’s arrival Salihorsk policemen beaten member of initiative group Volha Kazulina 1
Yana Palyakova, a well-known human rights activist and a member of the initiative group of a candidate for deputy Volha Kazulina, has been beaten up by policemen of Salihorsk police department. Doctors have documented bruises of her arm and of the two shins.
12:16 CEC not inclined to allow democrats join district elections commissions
The Central Election Commission of Belarus has ignored offers of oppositional parties’ leaders.
11:52 Lyabedzka ready to make compromise with authorities
The democratic forces should not only to oppose themselves to the authorities, but also seek for a compromise with them, leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka thinks.
11:18 BPF party withdraws its candidates from elections
On August 30 the Sojm (Council) of the Belarusian Popular Front party decided to withdraw party candidates for deputies before September 23.
10:33 Stanislau Bahdankevich: “My final decision is to withdraw from “election”” 12
Honorary chairman of the United Civil Party, former head of the National Bank Stanislau Bahdankevich told in an interview to the Charter’97 press center he was going to withdraw from the “parliamentary election”.

31.08.2008

14:41 Pro-Russian forces besting in Political Council 32
On August 31, The Political Council of the opposition parties postponed settling of the issue on running or non-running of party candidates in the oncoming “parliamentary election”. This question is to be considered again on September 21, the party members will run in the “election campaign” till this date.