Russia Shuts Out OSCE Observers From September Duma Elections
Russia will not invite OSCE election monitors to its September parliamentary vote, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed, accusing the organization of “double standards.”
Russia has announced that it will not allow the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe its upcoming parliamentary elections, accusing the organization of applying "double standards." The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will therefore not participate in monitoring the elections scheduled for September 18 to 20, with the main voting day on September 20.
This decision comes after Russia failed to invite an official OSCE observation mission, violating commitments it accepted under the 1990 Copenhagen Document. The OSCE has strongly condemned Russia's decision, stating that the absence of independent monitoring reduces transparency and deprives voters and the international community of an impartial assessment of the electoral process.
Russia's Central Election Commission has formally approved holding the election in occupied Ukrainian territories, a move the OSCE has condemned as violating Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Brief written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
