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Rights activist asks top election official to familiarize district election commissions with UN Human Rights Committee’s decision on his case

A human rights activist in Homyel, Leanid Sudarenka, has asked Lidziya Yarmoshyna, head of the central election commission, to familiarize all members of district election commissions with the UN Human Rights Committee’s decision on his case.

Mr. Sudalenka says in his letter to Ms. Yarmoshyna that in 2004, a district election commission in Khoyniki rejected his application for registration as a candidate for the House of Representatives.

“The commission explained that I had incorrectly indicated my place of employment,|” Mr. Sudalenka told BelaPAN. “In 2010, the UN Human Rights Committee considered my complaint and concluded that the Republic of Belarus violated my right to take part in public affairs and run for the House of Representatives.”

Since the district election commissions are to consider registration applications from parliamentary contenders in late August, he asks Ms. Yarmoshyna to familiarize all members of district election commissions with the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee on his case in order to prevent similar violations in the future.

“Yarmoshyna now encourages people to run in the elections, complaining that there are few contenders,” Mr. Sudalenka said. “However, it is likely that many people will be denied registration as candidates to clear the way for pro-government candidates, as was the case with me in 2004.”