Observers Show How They Catch Ballot Riggers In Belarus

Several scandalous cases have leaked into the media.

The story of Yulia Tsialpuk on Belsat TV channel describes how the commissions in Belarus falsely increase the number of voters, and provides the video evidence of how ballots are being thrown in.

Yury Hubarevich, Chairman of the For Freedom Movement, called the police brigade to the Maskouski district polling station # 571.

“According to observers, only 11 people came and voted at the polling station # 571 in Minsk for the whole day. According to the information from the posted protocols of the commission, the number of voters is 109. This is 10 times more than in reality. What is happening at the polling station is a direct criminal offense,” said Yury Hubarevich.

Independent observers have charged dozens of election commissions under Article 427 of the Criminal Code - official forgery, and Article 192 of the Criminal Code - violation of election law. After the polling station #571, Yury Hubarevich visited the station #107, where he was nominated, but did not make it to a parliamentary candidate.

“The turnout is many times overestimated here. And then - there will be a ballot box stuffing, since it is necessary that the corresponding number of ballots lie in the ballot box. Today, when I looked through the slot in the box, I saw a dozen maximum ballots there. They haven’t managed to throw in this hundred yet, but be sure - they will do it,” says Hubarevich.

Volha Beleutsova, an observer at the polling station # 17 in Minsk, which gave a record turnout of 14% on the very first day, calls the scope of falsifications shocking.

“Two members of the election commission working at the polling station can receive 170 voters. That is, 387 cannot be physically accepted,” says Volha Beleutsova.

The observer barely made the police arrive to register her statement, but the police did not even try to figure out anything.

“We do not have the authority to interfere in the election process,” the police said.

Knowing that no one will interfere, the students decided to video record today's meeting of one of the faculties of the Institute of Social and Humanitarian Education of the Belarusian State Economic University. The video was sent to Radio Svaboda.

“God forbid they will call me and reprimand that my group did not vote. Everything is monitored tightly there: which room came to vote, which hostel. So do a favor. This was not my idea, believe me,” the curator told the students.

Criminal liability is also provided for threats of dismissal or expulsion and coercion to vote: Article 185 of the Criminal Code - Coercion, Article 191 of the Criminal Code - hampering freedom to elect. Students and employees of state enterprises are forced to vote early at each election. This year, the head of state repeated at least three times: “This is just a rehearsal for the presidential election.” They also rehearse while voters are sleeping.

“A person can vote from Tuesday to Saturday, and here there is one big problem - inappropriate storage of ballot boxes. And it turns out the following way. At night, only one policeman guards them, and anyone can have access to them,” said Aliaksnadr Silkou from the Right to Choose campaign.

And the situation in the Minsk polling station # 568 showed that they can do their job even in the daytime.

“According to our estimates, 13 people voted. After the polls were closed yesterday at 19 o'clock, a protocol was posted, according to which 94 people voted, ” says Andrei Rohau, observer, member of the Belarusian Popular Front party.

After this interview, the commission deprived Andrei Rohau of an observer certificate. The protocol noted that he “interfered with the activities of the commission.”