Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections

In eastern Belarus, in the town of Klimavičy, signatures are collected only by representatives of the electoral teams of only three of the eight contenders for the presidency of the Republic of Belarus.

Members of the initiative group on nominating of the candidacy of the incumbent President Aliaksandr Lukashenka, have been actively involved in collecting signatures from the very outset. They collect signatures by paying visits to electors' apartments. Moreover, representatives of “Bielaja Ruś” and pro-government trade unions hold pickets to collect signatures for their contender in the central market of the city. The local state-owned newspaper “Rodnaja Niva” also wrote about the collection of signatures in support of Aliaksandr Lukashenka, stating that the people who voted to sign for him even formed small queues, and about 30 signatures were collected at the picket on July 25. So far, electoral pickets in Klimavičy have been held only by adherents of the incumbent President.

According to the information of the private newspaper “Voĺny Horad”, Klimavičy was also visited by collectors of signatures in support of the candidacy of Viktar Tsiareshchanka, who also collected signatures by visiting electors' apartments.

Quite active there is also the electoral team of Tatsiana Karatkevich, whose members also collect signatures by visiting apartments and private houses. A member of the electoral team Aliaksandr Balobin points that people quite eagerly sign in support of Mrs. Karatkevich despite the low interest to the elections. According to the electoral team, more than 500 signatures in support of Mrs. Karatkevich has been collected.

So far, there is no information about the activity of other contenders for presidency in Klimavičy district.

"Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”