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.