Protesters detained in dozens again, several sentenced to prison sentences
Teachers protesting outside the Ministry of Education in Minsk. The protests was prompted by Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s threat to expel disloyal educators from schools. August 25, 2020. Photo: tut.by Over fifty protesters were detained on 25 August during and after several demonstrations held in Minsk, Homieĺ, Hrodna and Babrujsk. Some of them were released, but […]
National Extraordinary Public Health Commission disregarded public consultation process, anti-COVID measures too broad
Prime Minister Ion Chicu chairs a meeting of the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission. Source: gov.md Considering that the Central Electoral Commission proposed for public consultations the Instruction on preventing the spread of COVID-19 infection during the electoral period, approved by the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission (NEPHC), the Promo-LEX Association comes with the following findings: […]
EPDE welcomes EU, US, and the Russian Federation’s call for OSCE facilitation in Belarus
Protesters unfold a banner reading “Fair Elections, Court Trial, Freedom for Political Prisoners” during the rally in Minsk, 16 August, 2020. Credit: Natalia Fedosenko / TASS EPDE Statement: The European Platform for Democratic Elections appreciates the latest developments with the United States, the European Union and the Russian President Putin having called on the […]
Nur die OSZE kann Lukaschenko an den Runden Tisch bringen
CEC and CICDE failed to accomplish all activities foreseen in their 2016-2019 Strategic Plans
Promo-LEX announced the findings of the Final Evaluation Report on the implementation of the Strategic Plans of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) and the Center for Continuous Electoral Training (CICDE) for 2016 – 2019. Following the evaluation, it was found that in the implementation of the planned actions, both the CEC and the CICDE have registered a certain degree […]
EPDE calls for authorities to refrain from interfering in the activities of the CEC ahead of local elections
Image source: RBK-Ukraine In recent days, media outlets reported that a meeting took place in the President’s Office where unnamed officials recommended to the Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Oleh Didenko, CEC Secretary Olena Hataullina and three other CEC members that they resign due to their alleged affiliation with the former Head […]
EPDE calls for authorities to refrain from interfering in the activities of the CEC ahead of local elections
In recent days there have been reports that officials from the President’s Office in Ukraine insisted that members of the Central Election Commission resign. EPDE, OPORA, and CVU are concerned about such efforts by the President’s Office to threaten CEC members and interfere with the work of the CEC and call on authorities to refrain […]
HRDs call to release political prisoners held on rioting charges
Peaceful protester detained in Minsk. August 10, 2020. Photo: belsat.eu Following reports about the arrest of activists of the campaign headquarters of former presidential nominee Viktar Babaryka — Liavon Khalatran, Anton Bialinski, Ihar Bialinski, Andrei Pazniak, Siarhei Mikhayenka, Yury Vaskrasenski, Artur Vaskrasenski, Ihar Yarmolau, Artsiom Moladau, Aliaksandra Moladava and Uladzislau Karenski — as suspects in a criminal case […]
44 protesters still in detention, 13 missing, one more reported dead
Protester detained by riot police. Photo: belsat.eu 44 people detained during the post-election protests remain in custody, after they were sentenced to short terms of administrative detention, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said. The Ministry of Internal Affairs also confirmed that 6 persons were still held as part of “ongoing investigations”. Some 6,700 protesters […]
Second interim report of pre-election monitoring
ISFED identified 8 cases of alleged vote buying; cases of dismissal based on possible political motive in 5 municipalities; 5 cases of intimidation/harassment based on possible political motive; 2 cases of possible use of administrative resources; 2 cases of withholding social assistance based on possible political discrimination; 1 case of intimidation of ISFED observer; 1 […]