Support The Moscow Times!

Golos Ordered Out of Offices

The landlord for independent elections watchdog Golos has demanded the organization vacate its offices six months before their lease is set to expire, Gazeta.ru reported Tuesday.

Golos received a letter from the company, which rents its office space, asking the organization to leave the building by Feb. 1, even though their lease is valid through Aug. 1, Golos director Lilia Shibanova told Gazeta.ru.

Golos came under pressure from authorities before last month's State Duma elections. It became the subject of a smear campaign by state-run TV channel NTV and was issued a fine for violating a law that prohibits publication of election opinion research five days before a vote.

On the day of the Duma elections, the organization's website was shut down by cyber attacks. Shibanova said the pressure has not let up as the March 4 presidential election approaches.

"In certain regions we are already being refused the right to carry out observation at voting sites, and inspections are being made in connection with the work of our newspaper Grazhdansky Golos. So right now it does not seem that this campaign will end up being easier for us than the parliamentary [vote]," she said.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more