Russian Election Expert Grigory Melkonyants Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison, State Media Report
Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of Russia’s prominent election monitoring group Golos, has been sentenced to five years in a penal colony on charges of organizing activities for an “undesirable organization.” (reuters.com) This conviction stems from his alleged past affiliation with the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), a Montenegro-based NGO that Russia declared “undesirable” in 2021. (reuters.com)
Golos, established in 2000, has long been a critical voice in exposing electoral fraud within Russia. Despite facing increasing governmental pressure, including being labeled a “foreign agent” in 2013 and dissolved as an NGO in 2016, Golos has continued its operations without formal registration. (apnews.com)
The case against Melkonyants is viewed by human rights advocates as part of a broader crackdown on civil society following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Amnesty International has recognized him as a prisoner of conscience, condemning his detention and trial as politically motivated. (amnesty.org)
Despite the conviction, Golos remains active, recently condemning the 2024 reelection of President Vladimir Putin as the most fraudulent in Russia’s history. (reuters.com) The organization’s commitment to democratic development continues, even amid increasing repression of independent journalists, critics, activists, and opposition figures in Russia. (apnews.com)