Belarusian opposition websites blocked after fraud reports

PanARMENIAN.Net - A number of Belarusian political opposition websites were blocked following their reports about allegedly falsified results on parliamentary election voters’ turnout, according to RIA Novosti.

Head of the Central Election Commission Lidia Yermoshina said the voters’ turnout totaled two-thirds (74.3 percent) nationally in Belarusian parliamentary elections. The opposition denied the results.

Political opposition websites “Belarusian Christian Democracy,” “For Fair Election,” and “For Freedom” were blocked on Sunday, Sept 23, at 7:00 pm local time, according to their administrators.

“It was very interesting that websites were blocked only to Belarusian users, while people from abroad had access to them,” Denis Sadovsky, a spokesman for the Belarusian Christian Democracy, said.

Sadovsky said he believed that websites were blocked after they posted alternative results of voters’ turnout, comparing to official results given by the Central Election Commission.

The Belarusian Central Election Commission declared the elections valid at 3:00 pm local time, after more than 50 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots.

The Central Election Commission claims the opposition declaration is part of a strategy devised long before the election, of pandering to a western audience.

“Some opposition politicians declared their non-recognition of the election result back at the start of this year. They do this so as to show the media and foreign politicians that Belarus has no elections, and they can’t be free and fair,” Central Election Commission secretary Mykola Lozovyk said in response to claims brought up by the opposition.