Aleh Vouchak: “Elections” with Lukashenka and Yarmoshyna have no sense

The transparency of the Belarusian “elections” does not depend on the transparency of ballot boxes.

Aleh Vouchak, the head of the human rights centre Legal Assistance to Citizens, raised a question of brainwashing of Belarusians and the lack of alternative information sources. He spoke to charter97.org about the upcoming “elections” and said what ordinary Belarusians from small towns thinks.

– I visited our regional departments in the Vitsebsk region this week. My first impression is that people became more educated and began to understand more. They look for alternative information, receive it mainly from charter97.org and other opposition and democratic websites and see what really happens in the country. I noticed that there had been little information about political prisoners earlier, but many people learnt about them in the past 6 months. People know well about Mikalai Statkevich, a former presidential candidate who has been in prison since 2010. I feel solidarity. People are inspired by his courage and firmness. They learnt it from your website, because we almost don't have other places to speak freely. Statkevich has support among people.

– What do people think about the upcoming “elections”?

– They understand that they can expect from the “elections” and do not consider a possibility that the authorities will observe democratic procedures. People understand it. They want the opposition to have a common position and see Statkevich as a single candidate. The authorities could release him if it were massive pressure.

Of course, there are those who are against. They say it is illegal and wrong to propose an imprisoned candidate. I answer: show me the official document, according to which Lidziya Yarmoshyna was appointed head of the Central Election Commission by the Supreme Council in 1996. They have nothing to say in response. I say that we must play by our, democratic, rules. We should demand that Statkevich is released and given an opportunity to run for presidency.

– Do you believe that massive pressure on the authorities will help put things in motion?

– The closer the autumn is, the more I get convinced that the demand to release Statkevich and a boycott as an alternative would be a great opportunity to change the situation and achieve the release Mikalai and other political prisoners who suffer from increased pressure. Representatives of the OSCE and other European institutions visit Belarus now. As a human rights defender, I will raise this question.

– Why is it necessary to boycott the elections? Will transparent ballot boxes change anything?

– I think we cannot speak about the “elections” if political prisoners remain in jails. It has no sense. Even people in small towns understand that no fair, honest and open elections are possible as long as Yarmoshyna is the CEC head and Lukashenka remains in power. OSCE representatives have visited the country lately, and Yarmoshyna said transparent ballot boxes would be installed in all towns. It won't solve anything. The transparency of elections does not depend on the transparency of ballot boxes.

All political prisoners must be released, democratic procedures must be observed to prevent Lukashenka from running in the elections and allow opposition representatives to be included in all election commissions. Of course, the elections must be held without Yarmoshyna. There's no legal basis for her to remain the CEC head. There are no documents proving that the Supreme Council appointed her as CEC head in 1996. People got tired of Lukashenka. Of him, of unemployment and poverty. I support the idea that opposition politicians and human rights defenders should put maximum efforts to release Statkevich and all political prisoners.

The idea of boycotting the “elections” was proposed by former political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich and political prisoner Yury Rubtsou. It was supported by other political leaders and activists.