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Yarmoshyna declines to inform district election commissions about UN Human Rights Committee’s decision on registration denial for opposition parliamentary contender

Lidziya Yarmoshyna, head of the central election commission, has declined to inform the members of district election commissions about the UN Human Rights Committee’s decision on the case of Belarusian human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka.

In 2004, a district election commission in Khoyniki, Homyel region, rejected Mr. Sudalenka’s application for registration as a candidate for the House of Representatives, explaining that he had indicated his place of employment incorrectly. The UN Human Rights Committee considered his complaint in 2010 and concluded that Belarus had violated his right to take part in public affairs and run for the House of Representatives, and that Mr. Sudalenka had been subjected to discrimination for political reasons.

In order to prevent similar rights violations in the future, Mr. Sudalenka sent a letter to the top election official, asking her to inform all members of district election commissions about the Committee’s decision.

In her reply, Ms. Yarmoshyna said that under Electoral Code amendments adopted in 2010, “incorrect personal data may no longer be grounds for denying registration as a candidate.”

According to Mr. Sudalenka, Ms. Yarmoshyna said nothing about his request to inform the district election commissions of the Committee’s decision, but she returned the documents that he wanted to be sent out to the commissions.

“The authorities don’t want to recognize and respond to the UN Human Rights Committee’s decisions on complaints from Belarus, which have become increasingly frequent in recent years,” Mr. Sudalenka said. “Yarmoshyna’s reply is another proof of this. She doesn’t want the members of district election commissions to be aware of such cases. The UN Committee actually made its conclusion with regard to not only the district election commission in Khoyniki but also the central election commission and the Supreme Court.” //BelaPAN