The authorities threatened those who came to the polls at noon on March 17 with a criminal article

The Prosecutor’s Office of Moscow has threatened criminal responsibility for “obstructing citizens from freely exercising their electoral rights and the work of election commissions” to those who call to come or will come to city polling stations on March 17 at noon.

The mass media note that the maximum penalty under the corresponding article of the Criminal Code is five years of imprisonment.

Also, the official statement of the Moscow prosecutor’s office states the following: “We draw your attention to the fact that the designated public mass events and their venues have not been agreed with the city’s executive authorities in accordance with the procedure established by law, therefore the organization and participation in these mass events are punishable according to the current legislation of the Russian Federation”.

Earlier, a number of Russian oppositionists called on everyone who disagrees with the policies of Vladimir Putin to come to the polling stations on March 17 at noon during the presidential elections, thus expressing their silent protest. The idea was supported, among others, by Navalny’s team and Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

• Voting in the presidential elections of Russia will take place from March 15 to 17, 2024. Independent observers and experts already assess the elections as non-free and non-competitive. Not a single real opposition candidate was admitted to the voting procedure.

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