Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of Russia’s leading election watchdog Golos, has rejected the charges as politically motivated; the case against him is part of the monthslong crackdown on Kremlin critics and rights activists that the government ratcheted up after invading Ukraine in 2022
Grigory Melkonyants inside the glass defendants’ box during the verdict announcement. Pic/AFP
A court in Moscow on Wednesday convicted one of the leaders of a prominent independent election monitoring group on charges of organising the work of an “undesirable” organisation and sentenced him to five years in prison.
Grigory Melkonyants, co-chair of Russia’s leading election watchdog Golos, has rejected the charges as politically motivated.
The case against him is part of the monthslong crackdown on Kremlin critics and rights activists that the government ratcheted up after invading Ukraine in 2022.
Golos has monitored for and exposed violations in every major election in Russia since it was founded in 2000. Over the years, it has faced mounting pressure from the authorities.
Three held for plans to send parcel bombs to Ukraine
Three Ukrainians have been arrested in Germany and Switzerland on suspicion of agreeing to send parcels containing explosive devices from Germany to Ukraine, apparently at the behest of people acting for Russia, German prosecutors said on Wednesday. Two of the men were arrested in different parts of Germany on Friday and Saturday. The third was arrested on Tuesday in the northern Thurgau region of Switzerland. One suspect allegedly even mailed two “test packages”.
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