The lawyer of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK, a foreign agent liquidated by the court), politician Lyubov Sobol said that she would not run for the State Duma elections. According to her, this decision is connected with the recognition of the FBK as an extremist organization.
“Despite the incredible support of the people, the formed headquarters, hundreds of volunteers, the presence of an organizational structure and a clear advantage over rivals, because of the recognition of the FBK as an extremist organization, I have to stop my campaign in the State Duma,” Ms. Sobol wrote on Facebook.
She noted that the authorities are “afraid to let” her go to the State Duma elections, as her rating “surpasses all ratings of United Russia”. Ms. Sobol also recalled that she was deprived of the passive electoral right under the recently adopted law prohibiting persons involved in extremist activities from participating in elections. Lyubov Sobol said that in this regard, she would not be able to ensure the safety of volunteers, employees and donors of the election campaign.
On June 4, President Vladimir Putin signed a law banning the participation in elections of persons involved in extremist and terrorist organizations. The leaders of such organizations will not be able to participate in elections for five years from the moment the organization was recognized as extremist, the participants and those who provided the organization with financial or other assistance – for three years.
On June 9, the Moscow City Court recognized the Anti-Corruption Foundation, the Foundation for the Protection of Citizens’ Rights and the headquarters of Alexei Navalny as extremist organizations. The court ordered the liquidation of the funds and the termination of the activities of the headquarters.
For more details on recognizing organizations as extremist, see the Kommersant article “FBK lawyers came to court with a suitcase”.
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