Criminal Case Opened Against Grigori Melkonyants by Russian Law Enforcement

Russian law enforcement has opened a criminal case against Grigori Melkonyants, co-chair of the election watchdog movement 'Goloss'. This information has been reported by Russian media.

The criminal case against Melkonyants was initiated for organizing the activities of an 'undesirable organization'. He faces a potential sentence of six years in prison.

Reports indicate that his residence is being searched. Searches have also been conducted in several cities, including Moscow, at the homes of 14 regional coordinators and activists supporting him.

It is noteworthy that 'Goloss' was a member of the 'European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations' (ENEMO), which was declared an 'undesirable organization' in Russia in 2021. Following that decision, 'Goloss' ceased its participation in the network, which includes non-partisan and non-governmental organizations from 18 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Central Asia.