Belarusian ingenuity on vivid display in TV censorship of an anti-Lukashenko t-shirt

Vladimir Nepomnyashchikh, a parliamentary candidate from the opposition United Civic Party of Belarus, says television operators deliberately concealed part of a slogan on his shirt during a broadcast of political speeches on August 16. Nepomnyashchikh wore a t-shirt with large red print reading “For Belarus without Lukashenko,” referring to Alexander Lukashenko, the country's authoritarian leader in power since 1994. Thanks to a large banner that just happened to appear at the bottom of the screen, the only thing visible on Nepomnyashchikh's shirt were the words "For Belarus.”

In Belarus' 2012 elections, Nepomnyashchikh's election speech wasn't aired on television at all, and campaign posters showing him in the same t-shirt were banned.

Nepomnyashchikh says he plans to withdraw from the race this year, vowing that he refuses to take part in a rigged election.