Switch Language

This translation was made by AI

The first day of voting is nearly over. We have already reported on how the election began. Now, here’s what else has happened.

Threats

  • In Tatarstan, the campaign team of independent candidate Irina Nikiforova withdrew from election observation. According to Nikiforova, her observers began receiving threats, and the police refused to accept their reports.
  • In Karachay-Cherkessia, “Yabloko” party candidate Akhmed Abazov withdrew from the election after threats to him and his family. Previously, he said that he was pressured to withdraw his candidacy.
  • Unknown individuals sent threatening messages to the financial institution where “Yabloko” candidate Dmitry Mamaev works in Kaliningrad Region.

Refusals and removals

  • Almost 1,300 observers from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) and “Yabloko” were denied entry to polling stations, according to calculations by the outlet “7×7.”
  • In the Moscow Region, there were attempts to prevent 68 observers from starting work, and another observer was almost removed directly from a polling station.

  • In Novosibirsk, a major city in Siberia, observer Roman Malozemov was expelled from a polling station.

    19 September, 9:40 A Communist Party representative stated in court that the party had deliberately withdrawn Malozemov. Last year, he participated in the Novosibirsk city council elections against a Communist Party candidate, which the party considered damaging to its reputation.

  • In Tambov Region, about 200 Communist Party observers were not admitted to polling stations.

Cameras

  • In St Petersburg, several “Yabloko” candidates stopped receiving livestreams from polling stations.
  • In Perm Krai, the local branch of the Communist Party also reported that its representatives were not granted access to polling station livestreams.

Draft notices

  • Even before voting started, it became known that three members of precinct election commissions in St Petersburg received draft notices requiring them to appear at the military enlistment office on 18 September. Today, a summons also arrived for two observers in Moscow.

Warnings

  • In Volgograd, police distributed warnings to activists about the inadmissibility of protests during the election period. One journalist also received such a warning.

Bans

  • At one polling station (presumably in Moscow), people were banned from bringing apples.
  • Pharmacies in Perm, a major city in the Urals, were advised not to sell large quantities of brilliant green or iodine to one customer until the end of the election.