On 23 August, Mahiliou police detained local coordinators of the “For Free Elections” observation campaign Yury Novikau and Halina Lisitsyna.

The activists were detained outside the city’s central railway station after their car was stopped by road police.

As a result, the police searched the car and seized 291 copies of guidelines for observers and 905 copies of the “For Free Elections” newspaper.

The activists will also have to come to the police station again on 28 August.

Yury Novikau says the incident is an attempt to disrupt independent election observation in Mahiliou.

“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”