Moscow court upholds ban on Golos NGO

MOSCOW, October 10 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court has upheld a ruling on liquidation of the Golos association in defense of voters’ rights, according to the court’s press office.

Moscow Department of the Russian Justice Ministry has turned to court seeking ban on the NGO. In late July, the Presnensky District Court ordered liquidation of the non-governmental organization within 6 months.

Golos appealed the ruling. Lawyers for the association objected to the court’s stance that “the association had committed serious irremediable breaches of law” and asked the Moscow City Court to overturn the judgment.

Golos, an association of non-profit organizations In Defense of Voters’ Rights, was fined in 2013 for refusal to register as a foreign agent under the 2012 law according to which NGOs engaged in political activity that receive foreign funding are required to register as “foreign agents” with the Ministry of Justice.

In April 2014, the Constitutional Court ruled that NGOs that refuse to accept foreign funding need not register as foreign agents, following which the Moscow City Court ruled that the penalty be rescinded from Golos in early September.

However, later, a court ruled in favor of the Moscow City Prosecutor’s Office, which insisted that Golos must register as a foreign agent. Golos has asked the Justice Ministry to remove it from the foreign agents register, but the ministry rejected the request.

Golos has been monitoring elections in Russia since 2000.