Intentional elimination of posters of democratic candidates (Photo)

• 6.12.2010, 13:18

The team of Belarusian presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov was the first to launch agitation campaign in the town of Pinsk.

Posters depicting the candidate appeared on advertizing pillars of the town. Portraits of other presidential aspirants were not noticed, the campaign “Human Rights Activists for Free Elections” informs.

It’s worth noting that the places for demonstration of agitation materials permitted by the Pinsk city executive committee are not suitable for the main political event in the five years. Pasted on dirty pillars, the posters of candidates compete with posters of singers, films and other advertizing materials. Information stands in housing service offices, hotels and at markets that are not quiet suitable remain blank.

In the meantime, agitation posters of Andrei Sannikov disappeared from information stands in the Navabelitski city district in Homel. “In the morning, there were posters on 15 information stands in the district, but they disappeared two hours later. Someone is likely to have torn them down purposefully,” democratic activist Viktar Kazloou said.

It should be noted that unknown people often draw Nazi symbols or insults on agitation posters of alternative candidates. Fro instance, the photo of Vital Rymasheuski on the bus stop “Zharkovskogo” was “decorated” with the inscription “Go away, you Pole!”, thought the candidate is Belarusian.

Human rights activists from Homel note the lack of places for agitation. For example, the authorities permitted to paste posters on advertising pillars among ads of new shops and concerts, but the advertising space is only 90 х 100 centimeters for all 10 candidates. “The situation is that we have space to paste only two posters on these pillars. I don’t know what we should do: either launch a competition for advertising places or tear away posters of other candidates and paste our own,” activist Kanstantsin Zhukouski complains.