No Choice :: Charter'97 :: News

The so-called election to local Soviets of deputies was held yesterday in Belarus. The final results of this "vote" to be summed up on January 18 or 19. However, even now it is clear now that opposition representatives haven`t been allowed to be elected to local councils. Exclusively henchmen of the regime, who ran under the guise of independent deputies and campaigned with the wide use of administrative resources, have become "deputies". Besides, the votes were counted by "like-minded" people as well. Democrats haven`t been allowed to participate in precinct election commissions, while the central Election commission hadn`t invited international observers.

In the last days of the early vote the regime actively used administrative leverage, independent observers claim. On January 9-13 24.9% of voters have taken part in the early vote. The number of people who had taken part in the early vote is higher than in previous elections, and almost the same as in the presidential vote in 2006.

In particular, as told by an executive director of the public association "Belarusian Helsinki Committee" Aleh Hulak, on January 12-13 Minsk universities were instructed to ensure 100% of students to take part in the early vote, "We have been told about that by professors and curators of student`s groups. Like in previous elections, the system is orientated at early vote," A. Hulak said.

Besides, according to reports of the human rights activist, election commissions refused to give information about the early vote. "We are told: phone to the Central Election Committee, they will say you everything. But they have the general figures, and not a concrete information about a concrete polling station," A. Hulak said.

He also noted that on the eve of the main polling day, just as during the preceding election campaign, independent observers, democratic candidates for deputies and their agents suddenly started to "use foul language" cynically. "A few our observers have been detained under this pretext," A. Hulak said.

"Everything depends on how votes count would be held. If like in the previous campaign all bulletins would be tossed in one pile, and no separate counting of ballots in the early vote and on the main day would be carried out, then it could be said that this voting results had been rigged, were not transparent and free," the BHC executive director said.

Dozens of activists in Minsk and in the regions were arrested and subject to preventive detentions. Today trials over detained opposition activists Anastasiya Aleksandrovich, Ales Kalita and Andrei Dzmitryeu are to take place. Among the arrested are an activist of the United Civil party from Pruzhany (Brest region) Uladzimir Radzivonchyk, an agent of a candidate Valery Kisel, Andrei Famin, an agent of a candidate for deputy of a city council Syarhei Antusevich (the Belarusian Popular Front party) Syarhei Salash, a human rights activist, a member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee from Vitsebsk Pavel Levinau, a young activist from Vorsha Syarhei Huminski, a candidate for deputy of Pinsk city council Alyaksandr Vasilyeu and Alyaksandr Ramanovich. Oppositionists have been charged with hooliganism. Policemen were witnesses in the court.

Observers of the republican public association "Belarusian Helsinki Committee" (BHC) have recorded numerous violations at local elections. Human rights activists have refused to recognize local elections transparent and fair. Today the Belarusian Helsinki Committee is to make public the preliminary report on elections to local councils.