“In the elections of the mayor of Tbilisi, Lukashenko will gain 85%, and Kaladze, Melia and Gakharia – 5% each”, – with a poster with such an ironic forecast, the Belarusians who settled in Tbilisi on Thursday, September 16, during a protest at the building of the Georgian Central Election Commission wanted to warn his employees on how the subordinates of the CEC of Belarus Lidia Yermoshina can count the votes in the municipal elections in Georgia.
The main message of the four dozen protesters was the demand to annul the accreditation of the Belarusian CEC as an observer in these elections. It was obtained thanks to the liberality of the Georgian electoral legislation. In Georgia, the declarative principle of accreditation is now in force: it is enough to correctly draw up an application and submit documents to the local CEC in time to obtain observer status.
There are grounds for canceling the accreditation of the CEC of Belarus
Meanwhile, the protesters are confident that there are grounds for canceling the accreditation. The first was noticed by Nino Dolidze, head of ISFED (International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy), an influential election observation organization.
Protesters in Tbilisi, September 16, 2021
Back on September 10, she drew attention to the fact that in the Georgian rules for accreditation one of the provisions requires the requesting organization not to be found guilty of violating human rights. And the Central Election Commission of Belarus, Dolidze reminded, falsified the election results, which “resulted in human casualties, detentions, persecutions.”
Human rights activists were the first to react on the Belarusian side. Lawyer of the Viasna Human Rights Center Pavel Sapelko noted that on behalf of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders Have Free Elections”, that there is a partnership with ISFED, an appeal was sent to the CEC of Georgia to reconsider the decision on accreditation.
Lydia Yermoshina is definitely not going to Georgia
Alexander Shlyk, a special representative at the choice of ex-presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, is also in contact with the CEC of Georgia. In his comments for DW, he said that the Georgian side “in the message, a negative reaction in Belarus and Georgia, as well as in the international community, may be caused by the arrival of the CEC of Belarus as observers.”
On September 14, Interfax-Zapad reported that Lydia Yermoshina would not personally go to Georgia, but would send two of her subordinates there. However, Belarusians who fled from the Lukashenka regime to Georgia insist on the official cancellation of accreditation. At the end of the protest action, a poster with such a demand was left behind to launch the Georgian CEC Georg Kalandarishvili. Municipal elections in Georgia will be held on October 2.
See also:
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Record for political prisoners in Belarus
Over 600 – such a record number of political prisoners in the history of the country is quoted by the human rights center “Viasna”. Among those who are unfairly imprisoned due to political persecution are presidential campaigners, volunteers of their headquarters, activists, businessmen, bloggers, journalists, IT specialists, workers, students and other protesters.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Victor and Eduard Babariko
A presidential contender, ex-head of Belgazprombank Viktor Babariko could become Lukashenka’s strongest rival in the elections. He was detained together with his son Eduard, led his initiative group, which in June 2020 was charged with money laundering, bribery and tax evasion. On July 6, 2021, Viktor Babariko was sentenced to 14 years in prison.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Maria Kolesnikova
Musician and art director Maria Kolesnikova headed the election headquarters of Viktor Babariko. Then she became one of the “three graces” who headed the Joint Opposition Headquarters. Member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council. She was kidnapped and brought to the border with Ukraine for expulsion from the country. But she tore up my passport and thwarted this operation. In prison since September 2020. Charged in the case of seizing power.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
To jail – for legal aid
Lawyer of Victor Babariko’s headquarters, member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council Maxim Znak (pictured) and lawyer of Maria Kolesnikova Ilya Salei were detained in September 2020 in the case of public calls to action to the detriment of national security. Ilya Salei was released on bail in April. Maxim became a defendant in a criminal case on the seizure of power. He has been tried behind closed doors with Maria Kolesnikova since August 4.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Sergei Tikhanovsky
The author of the popular YouTube channel “Country for Life” Sergei Tikhanovsky wanted to run for the presidency of the Republic of Belarus, but before the start of the election campaign he was detained, after which his wife Svetlana put forward her candidacy. When he was released after an administrative arrest, he helped collect signatures for her, but in May 2020 he was arrested. In June 2021, the trial began behind closed doors.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Country for Life activists
Within the framework of the “Country for Life” project, Tikhanovsky traveled to the regions of Belarus and gave an opportunity to local residents to tell about their problems. About 30 persons involved in the “Tikhanovsky case” have already been convicted. Together with Tikhanovsky in the dock – opposition politician Nikolai Statkevich, operator of “Country for Life” Artem Sakov, social media moderator Dmitry Popov, bloggers Vladimir Tsyganovich and Igor Losik.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Igor Losik
The founder of the telegram channel “Belarus of the Brain” Igor Losik actively covered the events around the election campaign of the President of Belarus. Detained in June 2020. He was accused of organizing and preparing actions to the detriment of public order. Then – in “preparation for participation in mass riots.” He went on a hunger strike in protest for over 40 days.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Bloggers behind bars
Other bloggers have already been sentenced. Sergei Petrukhin (pictured) and Alexander Kabanov (“People’s Reporter”) received 3 years in prison. Sergei Korshun and Sergei Yaroshevich (“Army with the People”) – 4.5 and 5.5 years old. Vladimir Neronsky (“Slutsk for Life”) – 3 years old, Dmitry Kozlov (“Gray Cat”) – 5 years old, Denis Gutin (“Drivers-97”) – 2.5 years old. Since June, the trial of Nikolai Dedok has been underway. Eduard Palchis remains on guard.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Leaders of the “old” opposition
Pavel Sevyarynets, co-founder of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party (pictured), has been arrested more than once before. In June 2020, he was detained after pickets to collect signatures for the nomination of presidential candidates. Mikalai Statkevich is another well-known opposition figure, presidential candidate in 2010. Detained in May on the way to the pre-election picket of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and is still in custody.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Human rights defenders targeted by the authorities
Human rights defenders were also persecuted by the Belarusian authorities. Employees of the Viasna human rights center are in custody, including its head Ales Bialiatski (pictured) and deputy Valentin Stefanovich. The well-known human rights activist Leonid Sudalenko is accused of financing activities that violate public order. He paid fines to people detained for participating in protests.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Independent media staff
Media manager Andrei Alexandrov (pictured) was detained on suspicion of financing the protests. He paid the protesters’ fines. More than 20 media representatives are now in custody, including the Tut.by portal and the Nasha Niva publication. Employees of the “Press Club” spent 8 months in the pre-trial detention center. On August 19, 2021, four of them were released, two overlying guards.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Katerina Borisevich
Journalists also fell victim to political repression. Katerina Borisevich (Tut.by portal) spent 6 months in prison. In her article, she wrote that there was no alcohol in the blood of Roman Bondarenko, who died after being beaten by Lukashenka’s supporters, contrary to the claims of the authorities. This information was given to her by the doctor of the emergency hospital Artem Sorokin, now also a political prisoner.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Katerina Andreeva and Daria Chultsova
Journalists of the Polish TV channel “Belsat” Katerina Andreeva and Darya Chavtsova great stream during the brutal dispersal of the protesters by the security forces in the Minsk courtyard, known as the “Change Square” – and received two years in prison. They were accused of organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
The PandaDoc case
Of the four employees of the Belarusian office of the IT company PandaDoc, detained in the fall, only product director Viktor Kuvshinov remains in prison on suspicion of embezzlement of funds. Human rights activists are confident that this is how the authorities are putting pressure on the founder of the company, Nikita Mikado. After the elections, he helped security officials who refused to follow criminal orders, suppressing protests, and lost their jobs.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Student activists
Students were expelled or subjected to administrative arrests for protests. And 12 defendants in the “student case”, including Olga Filatchenkova, a traitor to BSUIR, and Alana Gebremariam, a medical university graduate (pictured), were accused of “active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order” and were imprisoned for a term of 2 to 2.5 years.
-
Political prisoners in Belarus are prisoners of Lukashenka’s regime
Disproportionate response to protesters
Several dozen political prisoners are accused of participating in mass riots or violence against police officers. According to human rights activists, peaceful protests do not pose a threat to national or public security. Certain cases of violence against the police require special qualifications – in the context of self-defense against disproportionate actions of the security forces.
Author: Yanina Moroz