Russia’s top independent election monitor Golos shuts down after 25 years
Russia’s leading independent election watchdog, Golos (which means “voice” in Russian), has announced its closure after 25 years of documenting electoral fraud and promoting transparency across the country.
The move comes less than two months after the group’s co-chair, Grigory Melkonyants, was sentenced to five years in a penal colony, a punishment widely seen by human rights observers as politically motivated, News.Az reports, citing DW.
In a farewell message posted online, Golos said: “Justice, alas, does not always win, it must be fought for. And there is always the risk of losing. This is how it turned out this time. Goodbye.”
The group cited mounting pressure and personal risk to its members as the reason behind the decision, saying it had "no choice" but to cease its operations. All regional offices have now been closed.
Founded in the early 2000s, Golos became known for meticulously tracking and exposing widespread violations in Russian elections, including ballot stuffing, voter coercion, and the suppression of opposition candidates. Over the years, its reports and video evidence played a key role in challenging the credibility of results under President Vladimir Putin, whose electoral victories have long been criticized as undemocratic.
During the 2024 presidential election, Golos was one of the few organizations still attempting to monitor the process, despite increasing restrictions on independent observation and a crackdown on dissent. Putin ran virtually unopposed in that vote, amid an environment in which critics were jailed, exiled, or silenced.
The closure of Golos marks another blow to civil society in Russia, as independent voices continue to be shut down during the country's ongoing military campaign in Ukraine and broader repression of opposition activity.
The group’s disbandment adds to the list of non-governmental organizations that have been labeled “foreign agents,” prosecuted, or dismantled under Russian law in recent years.
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