MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. During elections for members of the ninth State Duma (lower house of the parliament), international observers are obligated to refrain from making public assessments, commentaries for the media and holding press conferences until the end of the voting across the entire country, the resolution of the Central Election Commission on the clarification of their activities reads.
The document determines how foreign observers can work during State Duma elections, which will take place on September 18-20. They will pass accreditation in the Central Election Commission, can visit polling stations, observe the voting process and counting of ballots, get information from commissions and read documents related to elections. At the same time, their activities must be independent, unbiased and must not interfere with election commissions’ work.
"Foreign (international) observers must <...>. refrain from publication (also on the Internet) of any remarks, assessments, suggestions and recommendations, considering their observation of the elections, starting from appealing to the media officials and holding press conferences, until the end of voting across all of Russia," the document reads.
