Human rights activists are asked to check the calls upon the leadership of "Belaruśkali" to participate in the election and early voting
"Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” have filed an appeal to the Minsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, Salihorsk Regional Prosecutor's Office and Salihorsk District Department of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus, appealing against the actions of the leadership of a large state enterprise “Belaruśkali” (“Belarusian Potassium”) that demanded that the heads of its structural subdivisions ensure the turnout and voting of workers at the upcoming presidential elections, which was registered on video.
The campaigners stated that elections are free and everyone has the right to choose whether to take part in them. This right of the elector is enshrined both in the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and the Electoral Code.
The calls of the director of the first mining group Aliaksandr Harbachou to his subordinates to ensure the attendance of workers at the polling stations, control the attendance and report about those who didn't come are regarded by human rights defenders as a crime against the constitutional rights and freedoms.
"In this case, the method of influence on freedom of expression of citizens in the exercise of their electoral rights was the order of a superior official, given to his subordinates, to ensure the attendance of their employees to polling stations, which is the order to force workers to take part in the voting. It also obliges the officials:
- to be present at the polling stations, in violation of the law, or receive the information about the persons who have taken part in the voting, from the election commissions;
- to force their employees to take part in early voting.
Thus, in addition to committing illegal acts, this official incited other duty officials to make similar offenses,” notes a representative of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” Valiantsin Stefanovich.
Human rights activists consider such actions of the administration and A. Harbachou in particular, as abuse of power or official authority, and asked the Minsk regional and Salihorsk district prosecutors' offices to hold an inspection and give a legal assessment of the actions of the director of the first mine group.