The dissemination of information about oneself by a candidate for deputy via the Internet is not prohibited - L. Ermoshina

March 29, Minsk /BelTA correspondent/. The dissemination of information about oneself by a candidate for deputy via the Internet during the campaign period is not prohibited, said Chairperson of the Central Election Commission of Belarus for Elections and National Referendums Lidiya Yermoshina during an online conference on the BelTA website today. She noted that candidates may use the World Wide Web to inform the public, and if the information is decent and does not contain prohibited passages that would incite extremism in society, then no sanctions will follow for its disseminator. As for leaflets, this is printed advertising material, so they should be distributed either at meetings, in other places, or put in mailboxes, posted on stands, and not transmitted via the Internet or email. "This will already be an electronic message, not a leaflet, as it does not contain printing data, and any printed material must contain information about the print run, printing house, order number, and so on. All other materials are illegal and are not subject to distribution in Belarus," Lidiya Yermoshina said. Answering a question about what information can be placed in campaign leaflets and what cannot, the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission said that prohibitions on the abuse of the right to election campaigning are contained in Article 47 of the Electoral Code. For example, it is forbidden to call for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order, for war, or to sow national, racial, or religious hatred and discord. "These are general rules that also apply to mass media (the Law on Mass Media also contains such restrictions). Everything else, even if it contains criticism (which local authorities particularly fear), is not prohibited if it is within the framework of the law. Any critical statement does not violate the restrictions established by law," Lidiya Yermoshina added. -0-