Television & Social Media Media Monitoring – Interim report
President Lukashenko has tried to play down the upcoming election as an unnecessary distraction from business, but an active social media movement has shown that the public is no longer prepared to go along with an alternate reality. Here you can read the findings of the interim report, produced by MEMO 98, EAST Center and […]
“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” demand transparency in voting and vote count
Image source: spring96.org On July 22, the Central Election Commission adopted a resolution amending Resolution No. 15 of May 8, 2020 “On the approval of the Regulations on the procedure for delegating and the activities of observers in the preparation and conduct of the 2020 presidential election in the Republic of Belarus”. The amendments introduced restrictions on […]
Representatives of Belarus’ biggest independent media outlets urge authorities to end persecution of journalists
Photo credit: Vadzim Zamirouski, TUT.BY Belarusian Association of Journalists: Minsk, 21 July. As many as 213 representatives of Belarus’ biggest independent media outlets have urged the authorities to end the persecution of journalists. In their appeal, the journalists accuse the government of targeting media workers with tough repressive measures and note that 43 correspondents […]
Independent observers banished from polling stations
Image source: newskitchen.eu The Central Election Commission has limited the number of observers who will be allowed to monitor the process of voting at polling stations, citing coronavirus statistics as the cause for the controversial decision. At a meeting held today, CEC chairperson Lidziya Yarmoshyna proposed to reduce the number of observers to five at a […]
Belarus Election Alert #4
Riot police confronting protesters in central Minsk. July 14, 2020 Viktar Babaryka and Valery Tsapkala were not registered to run for the Presidency. Babaryka was denied registration over alleged flaws in his income and property declaration and the participation of a foreign organization in his campaign as many in his nomination group are employees of […]
Weekly Report – nomination and signature collection phase
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections (HRDs) stated in their latest report on the entire nomination and signature collection phase of the election campaign that this was marred by serious violations of the standards of free and democratic elections. The nomination groups of some candidates were subjected to significant pressure from law enforcement agencies and […]
Belarus Election Alert #4
The CEC has declined to register Viktar Babaryka and Valery Tsapkala, making two of Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s key rivals ineligible to run for President. Following this decision, protests broke out across Belarus which were accompanied by a wave of arrests. Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections (HRDs), now the only independent observers of this election, report […]
Weekly report: nomination and signature collection phase
Observation of the presidential election is carried out by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in the framework of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”. SUMMARY the nomination and registration of presidential candidates took place in an atmosphere of threats, fear and pressure on voters in connection with their […]
Over 250 protesters arrested during protests sparked by denial of rival candidates’ registration
At least 280 people were detained by the police yesterday evening after hundreds demonstrated against the Central Election Commission’s Website of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections here
Lukashenka’s key rivals removed from elections
Viktar Babaryka and Valery Tsapkala. Photo: RFE/RL The Central Election Commission has declined to register Viktar Babaryka and Valery Tsapkala, making two of Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s key rivals ineligible to run for President. Babaryka was denied registration over alleged flaws in his income and property declaration and the participation of a foreign organization in the presidential nominee’s campaign. Many […]
