Russian Election Monitor Detained Amidst Presidential Campaign

The head of Russian election monitoring group, Golos, will remain in jail until the presidential vote is over, according to a court ruling. Roman Melkonyants, the chairman of Golos, is facing charges of working with a banned NGO and has been detained for a total of eight months. The decision comes as Russia gears up for its presidential election campaign, with lawmakers set to vote on a proposal to hold the vote on March 17. Golos has been targeted by some sections of the state, which accuse it of being a Western-backed organization aiming to disrupt the elections. Allies of Melkonyants claim his detention is an attempt to avoid scrutiny of the election process. The court’s decision to extend his pre-trial detention just one day before the election was announced has raised suspicions of political maneuvering. Golos, which has historically deployed observers at polling stations and operated a hotline for complaints, denies any wrongdoing and insists it is independent. The Kremlin has denied interfering in court cases, while the Central Election Commission maintains its commitment to free and fair elections.