Russia Brings Charges Against Election Monitoring Nonprofit

In Russia TakesLegal Action against Election Monitors, the New York Times reports that Russia’sJustice Ministry has charged Golos, “Russia’s only independent electionmonitoring organization,” and its executive director with violating Russia’scontroversial law that requires a nonprofit group to register as a “foreignagent” if it receives financing from abroad. The law is described by the Times as “among the most provocative in apassel of Kremlin-supported legislation in recent months that was aimed attightening restrictions and limiting foreign influence on nonprofit groups.”  According to the story, Golos was formed in2000 with American support to monitor and comment on elections in Russia andother countries, and it “had a prominent role in drawing attention to fraud,including blatant ballot-stuffing and other crude measures, in the Russianparliamentary elections of December 2011.” A conviction reportedly would cost Golos fines in excess of $15,000, andits executive director a fine of approximately $10,000.  An official with Golos is quoted as statingthat the nonprofit has received no grants “from the moment the law on agentswent into effect.”

The story presentsthe investigation against the backdrop of recent raids by Russian authoritieson “some of the most prominent international organizations working here,including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch,” as well as on “two ofGermany’s most respected political foundations.”  The Times notes that Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany recently haspublicly criticized Russia’s treatment of nonprofits.

JRB