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Russian election commission warns against inviting observers from foreign agent NGOs

A week ago, the Golos (meaning Vote or Voice) fund was declared a foreign agent in Russia

MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has reminded to regional election commissions about the impermissibility of allowing representatives of organizations recognized as "foreign agents" to observe election on September 13.

The law on NGOs acting as foreign agents was adopted in the summer of 2012. It obliged all organizations involved in political activities and funded from other countries to declare themselves foreign agents in a special register and to mention this status in all of their publications in the Internet and the mass media.

"A week ago, the Golos [meaning Vote or Voice — TASS] fund was declared a foreign agent… I want to remind that observers are appointed by registered candidates and election associations. No one else has the right to be an observer," CEC deputy chairman Leonid Ivlev said.

He added that media in fact "have no right to be observers." Ivlev asked his colleagues in the regions to consider these recommendations.