The lower house of the Russian parliament adopted in the third and final reading a law prohibiting participation in elections for people involved in the activities of an extremist or terrorist organization.

Founders and managers (including heads of structural and regional divisions and their deputies) who worked in the organization for three years before the court recognized it as extremist or terrorist will be prohibited from participating in elections at any level. The ban will be in effect for five years.

Also, according to the law, within three years from the date of the court decision on the liquidation or prohibition of the activities of an extremist or terrorist organization, persons who were or worked in such organizations in ordinary positions and helped its work within a period starting one year before the court decision cannot be elected. …

Initially, the bill was about a ban on being elected only to the State Duma, but by the second reading, which took place on May 25 , the document was amended to prohibit participation in elections at any level.

Companion of Alexei Navalny, Leonid Volkov, commenting on the bill,  wrote that the proposal of the deputies threatens those who worked in Navalny’s team or made donations to organizations associated with the politician. The FBK and other structures associated with Navalny are asked by the Prosecutor General’s Office to recognize them as extremist organizations.

(C)MEDUZA 2021