The whereabouts of two independent observers working in Minsk polling stations Nos. 373 and 374 is currently unknown, after they left the polling stations at about 1 p.m.

According to human rights defender Yury Chavusau, observers Siarhei Martsaleu and Aryna Lisetskaya said they were going to a different polling station to take photos of so called “carousel voting”, after reports of using this kind of election rigging appeared in the media.

“They went but left their things. They took their mobile phones but they are not available now,” says Yury Chavusau.

Human rights defenders fear the observers may have been detained by the police on trumped-up charges.

According to Yuras Hubarevich, deputy chairman of the For Freedom opposition movement, there is only one observer left at polling station No. 374, after two observers were forced to leave. “As of 5 p.m., the observers report only 36.1% voter turnout, including that of the early voting campaign. The election commission is apparently nervous, as they seem to fail the plan ordered from above,” says the politician.

“Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections”