Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections

Праваабарончы цэнтр «Вясна» беларускі хельсінкскі камітэт

Remaining:

Head of Anatol Liabedzka's electoral headquarters asked not to break the law

Viktar Karniayenka. Photo by RFE/RL
Viktar Karniayenka. Photo by RFE/RL

Minsk City Election Commission has asked the head of the initiative group of Anatol Liabedzka, Viktar Karniayenka not to distribute campaigning information and abide by the law, but received a refusal and a proposal to change the imperfect legislation instead.

At today's sitting the city election commission considered the allegations of the spread of campaigning information about the initiative group of presidential challenger Anatol Liabedzka during the collection of signatures. The commission didn't punish Mr. Karniayenka, confining itself to requests to abstain from such practice in the future.

Head of the headquarters acknowledged distribution of information on the activities of the United Civil Party, its proposals and goals, as well as biographical information of the Chair of the party during the electoral pickets, and refused to comply with the Commission's request, adding that the initiative group of Mr. Liabedzka would continue to do so after the elections.

“We didn't beat around the bush and openly acknowledged this. We advised the City Commission to change the imperfect legislation. The collection of signatures is also campaigning period, why should the campaigning be prohibited at it? If there are bad law regulations, they must be corrected. We consider it wrong if we can see only one person on the screen during the election campaign, and we will promote our candidate. It seems to me that the Commission is not the authority carrying out the elections, but a tool that helps the country's leadership to remain unchanged,” pointedMr. Karniayenka.

"Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections


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