Golos, Russia’s leading election watchdog, was also labeled as a “foreign agent” in 2013. It liquidated as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in 2016. However, it never registered as an NGO and exposed violations in several elections.
It is now the only group in a new registry of “foreign agents” created by Russia’s Justice Ministry for groups not recognized as legal entities in Russia.
In 2012, a Russian ambassador, Michael McFaul, claimed that a U.S. government agency funded Golos. No details were disclosed, according to his book, “From Cold War to Hot Peace.” The U.S. Agency for International Development had been partially funding Golos before it was expelled from Russia in September 2012, according to the book.
Golos operated as Russia’s only independent election watchdog since its creation. The term “Golos” in Russian means “vote” or “voice,” according to its website.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
Golos was founded in 2000. Getting slapped with the “foreign agent” designation implies additional government scrutiny and carries strong pejorative connotations that can discredit the recipient.
Though it is the only entry in the registry so far, a number of Russian NGOs in recent years switched to operating as informal entities in order to not be affected by the “foreign agent” designation.
Independent media, journalists, opposition supporters and human rights activists in Russia have faced increased pressure ahead of the September 19 vote, which is widely seen as an important part of President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to cement his rule before the next presidential election in 2024.
The 68-year-old Russian leader, who has been in power for more than two decades, pushed through constitutional changes last year that would potentially allow him to hold onto power until 2036.
Golos Co-Chair Grigory Melkonyants called the move against the group on Wednesday “a serious signal about impending rigging.”
“We have no doubt that this attack on the largest community of independent election observers just a month before the voting day is an attempt to prevent Russian citizens from exercising the right the Constitutional Court sees as a guarantee of public recognition of election results,” Melkonyants said in a Facebook statement, adding that the group plans to continue its work regardless.
