Early Voting: Official Turnout - 17.39%, Unofficial – 25.21% :: Charter'97 :: News

According to the official information, within the five days of early voting (from the12 to 16th of October inclusive) in the parliamentary elections and referendum, 17.39% of voters came to the polling stations. It was said by the secretary of the Central Election Commission of Belarus Mikalay Lazavik. At the same time, according to the information of independent observers, 25.21% of electorate took part in the five days of early voting.

The observers told that the procedure of the early voting took place with numerous violations of Electoral Code and international standards. The most serious breaches of law, which can affect the results of the voting are forcing members of staff of enterprises and educational institutions to participate in early voting; pressure on voters to make them vote for a certain candidate; removing of registered observers from the polling station and presence of people unspecified by law there (representatives of law-enforcing agencies and executive authorities); concealing information on the number of voting ballots, received by the commission; illegal agitation at the polling stations. What`s more, facts of voting of one person on behalf of several others were recorded.

Besides, independent observers witnessed that the premises for early voting were not sealed in the night, and at night representatives of law-enforcing agencies were present there, which infringed the Electoral Law as well. The seals at ballot boxes were broken at some polling stations.