It will all end in flames

Jul 11 from https://www.themoscowtimes.com/

Why Russia's Last Independent Election Monitor Mattered to the World

After 25 years of work, Russia’s only independent election monitoring organization, Golos, is sadly no more. This week, Golos’ remaining leadership made the decision to close the organization rather than subject its affiliates to further criminal charges following its co-chair Grigory Melkonyants receiving a sentence of five years in a prison colony on trumped-up charges. Golos’ demise will...

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Jul 09 from https://meduza.io/en

Losing Golos Russia’s last independent election watchdog is shutting down. Here’s what that means for democracy in the country. — Meduza

Election officials empty a ballot box to tally votes in Novosibirsk after polling stations closed on the final day of Russia’s presidential vote. March 17, 2024. Vladislav Nekrasov / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA Golos, Russia’s only independent nationwide election-monitoring group, is shutting down after 25 years, following a court ruling that found its co-chair, Grigory Melkonyants, guilty of...

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May 14 from https://www.themoscowtimes.com/

'Find Joy in Everything': Election Monitor Grigory Melkonyants' Last Word in Court

Grigory Melkonyants, the co-chair of the leading independent election monitor Golos, was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of running an “undesirable” organization on Wednesday. Melkonyants, 44, was accused of working with the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), a charge he denies. Ahead of his sentencing, The Moscow Times translated and republished his...

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