BELARUS - Poll mistrust clouds Belarus vote

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Sunday, 19 March 2006,

06:11 GMT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poll

mistrust clouds Belarus vote

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Belarus has been

slow to shed its communist past

 

 

 

Voting

is under way in Belarus' presidential elections, amid

allegations by the opposition that the ballot has been rigged.

Opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko

have called for a mass rally after polls close at 2000 (1800GMT), to protest against electoral fraud.

Mr Lukashenko has warned he will crush any attempt to stage a

popular revolt.

His administration has been widely criticised in the West for

its authoritarian rule.

Prior to the vote, scores of opposition supporters were detained

and a number of foreign election monitors barred.

Chief opposition candidate Alexander Milinkevich predicted that

fraud would return President Lukashenko to office with 70% of the vote.

Mr Lukashenko has warned he will not tolerate any attempt at a

" coup " and has vowed to " break the neck " of anyone who

tries to seize power.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BELARUS ELECTION

Polls: 0600GMT to 1800GMT

6,627 polling

stations (41 abroad)

More than 7m

eligible voters

Election valid if

over 50% turnout

Lukashenko seeking

third five-year term

 

 

 

Police have said that protesters " trying to

destabilise the situation " will be treated as terrorists and could face

the death penalty.

A spokesman for the human rights organisation, the Helsinki

Committee, told the BBC the Belarussian government's threats to

opposition groups could trigger violence.

" We've had similar

statements during previous elections... This one is stronger and maybe it's a sign that

we should expect violence during Sunday evening.

" They are just trying to intimidate people, to make them

afraid of participating in protest actions, " Dzmitry Markusheuski said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4821502.stm

 

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Jorge Angelino

 

 

Rua da Sociedade Filarmónica

Perpétua Azeitonense, 29

2925-598 Azeitão

Portugal

 

 

 

 

jorge.angelino

 

 

 

 

 

 

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