Russia opens criminal investigation into independent election watchdog
The question of whether Russia's democratic processes are free and fair has been questioned for years - and the international consensus is that they are not.
US-based democracy thinktank Freedom House conclusively labelled Russia's elections "not free" last year. They argue the country's loyalist security forces, controlled media and pliable opposition factions" have left the Kremlin "able to manipulate elections and suppress genuine dissent".
Authorities have helped make that case today, after launching a criminal investigation into the head of Russia's leading election watchdog.
Grigory Melkonyants, the co-chair of the Golos watchdog, is facing charges of "organising activities for an undesirable group", according to his lawyer.
If convicted, he faces up to six years in prison.
Founded in 2000, Golos is considered the only Russian election monitoring body that is completely independent of the Kremlin.
Under existing laws, being involved in a group considered "undesirable" by the state is a criminal offence. Golos has never been formally labelled undesirable, but it was once a member of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organisations, which was given the label in 2021.
State media says police raided the homes of 15 Golos members earlier today, including Mr Melkonyants's apartment in Moscow. He was also taken in for questioning.
A spokesperson for Golos decried the raids as "a form of political pressure and an attempt to stifle our activities in Russia".
Russians are to head to the polls next March in elections widely expected to hand Vladimir Putin another term. If he wins, he'll have a mandate until 2030.
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-war-live-latest-news-putin-kyiv-invasion-12541713?
