The ideology department of Salihorsk district executive committee launched last week a campaign of forced early voting. The coercion is said to be exercised through the managers of local state-owned and private enterprises, say reports by employees.

The propaganda of early vote is also contributed to by the district’s government press, with special publications on the issue, e.g. an article published in the Shakhtsior weekly.

To minimize the possible election fraud, local human rights defenders have called on the residents of Salihorsk district not to vote early.

Meanwhile, a poll presented by the saligorsk.org web-site says some 86% of the district’s potential electors are not going to the polling stations.

“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”