The Belarusian Helsinki Committee observers have not been able to attend the sittings of Salihorsk election commissions No. 68 and 69, says human rights defender Leanid Markhotka.

According to Mr. Markhotka, who is officially registered as observers at constituency No. 68, he has not received any notifications of the scheduled sittings, despite numerous promises to do so.

Another BHC observer Uladzimir Shyla says he has been twice deceived by the secretary of local election commission No. 69. “On 14 July the commission’s secretary told me that the next sitting would be postponed till 18 July due to Lukashenka’s visit to town on 17 July. When I phoned to have the information confirmed on 17 July, they told me that the sitting had been held back on 16 July,” says the human rights defender.