Observers of the “Human Rights Activists for Free Election” campaign have learned about the closed chat correspondence of BSU students. It follows from the chat that the students are being actively invited to participate in pre-election pickets about the nomination of individual candidates. Moreover, according to the correspondence, they are offered to to take part in a demonstration in their capacity as members of initiative groups.
According to the experts, this information demonstrates gross violations of the current electoral law.
Thus, in accordance with Part 8 of Article 48 of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus, it is prohibited to provide any other material assistance in the preparation and conduct of elections, referendums, except giving money to the budget fund and to the election funds of candidates. The use of a money or other material aid by potential candidate in violation of the current legislation entails denial of registration as a candidate or cancellation of the decision on registration.
In addition, human rights activists believe, in this situation, the origin of the money promised for those who are invited to “just stand there as members of the initiative group” matters.
“If it’s not personal funds of citizen Mushtukova, but that of the Youth Union, we are dealing with the prohibition of the use of administrative resource. Organizations that are partly or fully financed from the state budget (the Youth Union in this case) are not allowed to participate in the financing of candidates,” stated the human rights site spring96.org.
belsat.eu, spring96.org
