The Global Network for Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM) strongly condemns the sentencing of Grigory Melkonyants, the co-chair of nonpartisan election observation organization and GNDEM member Golos, to five years in prison. Golos is a leading independent election monitoring organization in Russia, providing citizens with fact-based information and analysis on democratic processes in the country. This ruling comes after Melkonyants was held in pre-trial detention for over two years, and also bars his engagement in public activity for nine years after his sentence is served. Extreme and ongoing state-led attacks on the work of Golos undermine the fundamental right of Russian citizens to participate in public affairs.

Election observation by nonpartisan citizens is an accepted and recognized practice across the globe. Citizen observers serve as essential safeguards to credible elections, promoting transparency and accountability, strengthening civic participation, and building confidence in the democratic process. Legal action against nonpartisan election observers not only intimidates and silences independent voices, but also discredits any elections held under these conditions.

The rights of election observers are duly recognized by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders, the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) and other regional and international instruments, which affirm that election observers, including nonpartisan citizen election observers, are human rights defenders who serve to protect civil and political rights of citizens. In particular, member countries are “urged to take all necessary steps to establish conditions that allow national and international election observers to effectively do their work, and to protect them from any violence, threats, retaliation, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of their legitimate exercise of their rights and freedoms.”

The GNDEM community stands in solidarity with Golos and supports the work of citizen election observers around the world that are facing unprecedented barriers to their ability to safeguard elections. We ask the international community to join us in condemning the conviction of credible election observers, and to protect human rights defenders in accordance with international law.