MOSCOW, September 17. / TASS /. Secretary General of the European Ombudsman Institute (EOI) Joseph Siegel cannot attend Russia’s upcoming legislative elections as an expert, since the Austrian border service prevented him from leaving the country, Chairman of the Civic Chamber’s Coordinating Council for Public Control over Voting Maxim Grigoriev said on Friday.

"This represents a blatant case of state censorship on the grounds of sanitary restrictions. The well-respected guest expected by the Civic Chamber on Sunday, Joseph Siegel, Secretary General of the EOI, has not received permission to visit Russia," the Civic Chamber quoted Grigoriev as saying on its Telegram channel.

According to Grigoriev, Austrian border guards did not allow Siegel to pass control at the Vienna airport "under the pretext that his COVID-19 test results had not reached the border service. Moreover, they have not been received twice, even after a missed flight and retesting," the Civic Chamber’s member noted. He also described this case as "not just meddling into elections" but also as "interference in public monitoring."

Earlier, Russian High Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova stated that Siegel would attend the country’s parliamentary elections as an expert.

Elections to the 8th Russian State Duma (lower house) are scheduled for September 19, 2021, known as the Single Voting Day. The balloting process will span across three days - September 17, 18, and 19. In addition to the State Duma elections, voters will go to the polls to cast ballots for the heads of nine Russian regions (in another three regions local legislatures will elect top executive officials) and in elections for 39 regional parliaments.