The head of an independent election observation group was arrested three weeks before regional elections in Russia. His co-chairman explains why this won’t intimidate his fellow campaigners.
The Golos organization monitors elections in Russia. It documents when ballot papers are manipulated, opposition candidates are suppressed and voters are harassed. The election observers have long been used to harassment by the authorities, but now their co-chairman has been arrested just three weeks before the regional elections. He faces several years in prison because he is said to have worked with an “undesirable organization.” Golos suspects that the Kremlin is more concerned with the upcoming votes. After all, next year is the presidential election.