Candidate in Orsha nearly removed from parliamentary race for distribution of one leaflet :: Charter'97 :: News

The central election commission on Wednesday overruled the decision of a district election commission in Orsha, Vitebsk region, to cancel the registration of military officer Vladimir Ignatyuk for allegedly having distributed one leaflet.

Before applying for registration to the district commission, Mr. Ignatyuk placed an order with a Moscow-based printing house for 5,000 election leaflets. The company made 50 specimen copies of the leaflet in the form of small calendars.

Since the leaflet featured the official symbols of the Belarusian defense ministry, Mr. Ignatyuk decided to ask permission to use them from a local military enlistment and registration office. He delivered a calendar to the head of the office who, in his turn, sent the item to the district commission as evidence of unlawful electioneering.

Many associate members of the central commission came out in support of the candidate.

The officer who handed the leaflet to the district commission was acting "unlawfully and immorally," said Yelena Skrigan of the Belarusian Party of Communists.

The central election commission agreed with the district officials that Mr. Ignatyuk had violated electoral regulations by using his personal funds for campaigning and issued him an official warning.