Updated at 17:53,27-03-2024

2020 Belarus Election: Tikhanovskaya, Babariko And Tsepkalo Teams Join Efforts

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2020 Belarus Election: Tikhanovskaya, Babariko And Tsepkalo Teams Join Efforts
Photo: Viktor Babariko’s HQ
On July 16, three alternative candidates: Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Valery Tsepkalo and Viktor Babariko joined efforts to ensure free and fair elections in Belarus.

At the meeting, the candidates were represented by presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Veronika Tsepkalo and Maria Kolesnikova.

The joint team plans to:
- urge voters to come to the polls on August 9, 2020 and vote;
- release political prisoners, economic prisoners, giving them a right to review cases in independent and fair trial;
- hold repeat and fair elections after August 9, 2020;
- inform voters about the need to protect their vote in various ways;
- encourage participation in fair elections initiatives.

Recall that after the registration of presidential candidates, at least half a million voters who signed up for the nomination of Victor Babariko and Valery Tsepkalo were left without their “representatives” in the elections.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was among the five registered candidates. The voters had to decide on how to proceed further and what choice to make on 9 August. Meanwhile, candidates’ teams had to figure out on how to maintain people’s trust and convert it into a result.

On the same day, 14 July, peaceful protests took place in Minsk and other Belarusian cities. As a result, according to various estimates, from 250 to 280 people were detained, and six police officers were injured.

On 15 July, people lined at the CEC to file complaints about the refusal to register two candidates for the presidency. The CEC reported that they work until 7 pm, and asked to send complaints by mail. Shortly before the closure of the CEC, the police asked people to disperse and detained those who ignored the warning.