Russian election expert Grigory Melkonyants has been sentenced to five years in prison for his connection to an "undesirable" organization, marking a significant event in the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Russia.
Russia's Election Expert Sentenced to Five Years for Activism
Russia's Election Expert Sentenced to Five Years for Activism
Grigory Melkonyants, co-founder of the independent election watchdog Golos, faces five years in prison for his work with a foreign monitoring group.
Grigory Melkonyants, a prominent Russian election watchdog leader, was sentenced to five years in prison by a Moscow court on Wednesday after being found guilty of working with an “undesirable organization.” According to Russian news reports and statements from his attorney, the conviction stems from Melkonyants’ involvement with Golos, a group he co-founded that has long been known for its independent monitoring of elections in Russia.
Melkonyants had been detained since 2023, following President Vladimir Putin’s directive for a widespread crackdown in the wake of the Ukraine invasion. He faced charges of “organizing the activities” of a group deemed undesirable by Russian authorities, after Golos had once worked with the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, which was labeled undesirable in 2021. This designation has enabled the government to legally suppress various NGOs and media outlets under a guise of national security.
The organization Golos, meaning "vote" in Russian, was established in 2000 and gained notoriety after exposing widespread election fraud, particularly following the parliamentary elections of 2011. These exposures incited significant public outrage and protests against Putin's government, fueling a broader opposition movement including notable figures such as the late Alexei Navalny.
Roman Udot, a long-time colleague of Melkonyants who now lives in exile, stated that unlike many civil activists who fled Russia after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Melkonyants remained committed to his work, prioritizing his expertise in electoral processes. Sadly, this dedication has come at a heavy cost, resulting in his incarceration, which has drawn international attention.
Amnesty International has recognized Melkonyants as a prisoner of conscience, condemning his sentencing as a politically motivated action against a civil society advocate. The case underscores the intensified government measures to stifle independent voices within the country, particularly in the face of growing conflict and dissent.
