Human right defenders find election fraud



On December 19 Belarusian human rights defenders summarized three-months observing presidential election campaign in Republic of Belarus. By defenders’ estimate this time authorities broadly used administrative resources for the benefit of the acting Belarusian leader.

600 short-term observers and 80 long-term observers – representatives of campaign “Human Rights Defenders For Free Elections” have been observing early voting at presidential elections in Belarus for three months at 300 polling stations of the country including the capital of the country, regional and district centers and other town and rural-type settlements. The reports from polling stations were processed every day and were representational (observing covered 4,7% of 6346 polling stations on the territory of the country), i.e. gives the possibility to evaluate general tendencies of the early elections. Percentage registered in the diagrams below touch 306 polling stations which results were processed till 10 a.m. December 18. According to vice chairman of Human Right Centre “Viasna” lawyer Valentsin Stefanovich, the early elections observes faced the same scenes as during presidential election campaign of 2006. For example, they stated mass use of administrative resources at early voting to provide high turnout of such categories of electorate as non-resident students, enterprise workers, people living in dormitories, military men and those adjudged to jail. Vice chairman of “Viasna” noted that independent observers were not allowed to be present at early polling station day and night. Moreover, there was a lack of regulation of ballot box security procedures, sealing of premises with ballot boxes and strongboxes with ballots. Moreover, the location areas for members of polling commissions and militia officers during election process weren’t defined. The chairman of Belarusian Helsinki Committee Oleg Gulak thinks that these obstacles interrupted effective possibility of non-stop observing the ballot boxes and one couldn’t be sure that no manipulations are being run to the ballot boes when they are not available to be observed. Valentsin Stefanovich reported that observers registered numerous violations of electoral legislation, such as unauthorized persons’ interfering work of election commissions, giving out several ballots to one person, not posting protocols of early voting results and other. Quoting vice chairman of “Viasna” observers of campaign “Human Rights Defenders For Free Elections” sent 125 complaints and appeals to territorial election commission and Procuracy. Earlier coordinators of campaign “For free elections” have told journalists about violations of electoral legislation during early voting.

http://www.euramost.org/?artc=14173

Gennady LOGINOV