Restrictions to fundamental freedoms, political rights, media and civil society in Russia challenge democratic commitments, says OSCE/ODIHR report on State Duma elections | WPN World People News

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the 18 September 2016 State Duma elections in the Russian Federation recommends that national legislation concerning the freedoms of association, assembly and expression be aligned with international standards and that these fundamental freedoms be fully respected.

The report, published on 23 December 2016, notes that ensuring equal opportunities for all electoral contestants and a competitive political environment which could result in viable political alternatives is of crucial importance.

Consideration should be given to simplifying the election-related legal framework, especially with respect to candidate registration, campaigning and media coverage, the report concludes.

It also underlines that, in order to increase the integrity and public confidence in the electoral process, the election administration should be guided by the law and principles of transparency, impartiality and independence. Additional safeguards should be introduced to ensure full independence of election commissions from state and local government authorities and to prevent misuse of administrative resources.

Noting concerns over media freedom, the report recommends that media outlets be free in establishing their own editorial policies, and that editorial and financial independence of the state and public media be strengthened to facilitate citizens’ access to pluralistic information.

The report further recommends that legislation guarantee non-partisan citizen observers the opportunity to independently scrutinize the electoral process. 

The report notes that some practical aspects of voting should be reviewed to ensure the secrecy of the vote, and counting procedures and completion of results protocols should be conducted transparently as provided by OSCE commitments.

For election day observation, the ODIHR Election Observation Mission joined efforts with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegation.

source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development