Early Voting: Day 2 September 19, 2012

Baranavichy observer Siarhei Housha has received a reply from the department of internal affairs of Brest regional executive committee following a complaint of biased and illegal consideration of election fraud charges by constituency election commission No. 5.

The independent observers working in Salihorsk report numerous instances of coercion to early voting, as well as other election violations.

Andrei Lishyk, member of the Belarusian Popular Front’s Slonim office, who is currently acting as observer at polling station No. 18, was visited by the KGB agents.

The election officials of Mahiliou-based polling station No. 45 have overstated the number of early voters, local observers report.

Valery Karankevich, candidate for Parliament running in constituency No. 83, says his campaign materials have disappeared from a number of polling stations in Khotsimsk district.

Yulia Balakir, observer representing the Conservative Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front”, says she witnessed coercion to early vote at polling station No. 5 in Slutsk-based constituency No. 67.

The students of Slonim state medical college have been forced to take part in the early voting campaign, say local observers.

All the members of the election commission of polling station No. 126 (constituency No. 94) are employees of Leninski district administration, which constitutes a violation of the Electoral Code, say observers of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections campaign.

Leanid Haravy, observer in the town of Haradok (Vitsebsk region), has been shown the door by chairman of the constituency election commission Piotr Prasolau on the grounds that the observer allegedly interfered with voting.

The students of the Faculty of Information Technology and Robotechnics of the Belarusian National Technology University have been reportedly promised a day off, on the conditions they go to the polls before the week-end.

Siarhei Housha, observer in constituency No. 5, has received several complaints by students of Baranavichy State University, who are reportedly forced to vote before Friday, September 21.

Mikhail Karatkevich, candidate in Slonim constituency No. 58, as well as former candidate for Parliament Ivan Sheha, have received replies from the Central Election Commission head Lidziya Yarmoshyna.

Dzmitry Marholin, short term observer representing the independent trade union of the Radio-Electronic Industry at Babruisk polling station No. 30, has been denied access to the data on the results of the first day of the early voting campaign.

Uladizmir Pakala, head of Slonim District Housing and Public Utilities Department, is reportedly using his position to force his employees to vote early.