The deputy editor of the stat-owned newspaper “Mahiliouskiya Vedamastsi” Henadz Liakhau crossed out the phrase “one decides for all” out of the electoral program of Liliya Sivakova, a candidate of the “Fair World” Party at Mahiliou-Kastrychnitskaya election constituency #86. The program was published in the newspaper issue #91 of 6 September 2012.

According to the official, the phrase didn't manage the general context and was senseless. “I was totally against crossing this sentence out of my electoral program. I wanted to convey the whole program to the people, but wasn't allowed to do it. The deputy editor Liakhau threatened me with criminal proceedings in the case the sentence was published,” said Liliya Sivakova.

The deputy editor kept persuading the woman to refuse from this expression for more than half an hour. He even promised to send a car so that she could sign the appropriate documents. However, the candidate refused to do it. At the same time, he told the OSCE observer Invetta Chelishvilli that Liliya Sivakova allowed him to exclude the sentence from the program.

The candidate intends to appeal these clearly lawless actions of the state official to the editorial office of the newspaper and the constituency election commission.

“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”