The Russian voter rights organization "Golos" has declared it will shut down operations, according to an announcement posted on its official website.
This move follows the May sentencing of co-chair Grigory Melkonyants to five years in prison for allegedly managing an "undesirable" organization.
In their statement, Golos revealed that the court's verdict—which defense lawyers struggled to obtain—effectively equates their group with the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), designated as "undesirable" in Russia since 2021.
"The ruling leaves us no option, as it threatens criminal action not just against Golos members but even those who sought legal advice. The arrest of our colleague Grigory Melkonyants served one purpose—to silence Golos," the statement read.
All regional offices will close, ongoing projects will halt, and informational platforms will be discontinued. Recurring donation subscriptions will also end.
The team specifically warned individuals in or traveling to Russia against sharing Golos' online content, urging them to delete past posts to avoid prosecution for disseminating materials from a banned group.
"Justice doesn't always prevail—it demands struggle, and sometimes we lose. This time, we did. Farewell," concluded the statement.