"Golos" and Liliya Shibanova fined by 400,000 roubles

Today, the Magistrate Court of the Presnya District of Moscow fined the Association "Golos" (Vote) 300,000 roubles for refusing to get registered as a "foreign agent". Liliya Shibanova, Executive Director of the Association "Golos", was fined 100,000 roubles.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 2, The Prosecutor's Office asked the Association to present its financial and foundation documents. Following the results of inspection, the Ministry of Justice has ruled that by developing the draft of the electoral code, the "Golos" exercise political activity in the territory of Russia and receives foreign financing, which, according to the version of the Ministry of Justice, includes the Norwegian Award named after Sakharov. The Ministry of Justice demanded that the Association should be recognized as a "foreign agent."

During the court session, Ramil Akhmetgaliev, the advocate of the "Golos", has stated that the protocol on administrative violation describes the activities of the regional public organization "Golos" and not of the association of non-commercial organizations "In defence of the voters' rights 'Golos"'.

According to the advocate's version, the regional organization, which represents a separate legal entity, was developing on its own initiative the draft of the electoral code, which had received financial support from the European Union, while the association had not received any foreign financing, the "RAPSI" (Russian Agency of Legal and Judicial Information) reports.

The representative of the "Golos" has also asked the Magistrate Court to send to the Russian Constitutional Court a request about the compliance of the law introducing the status of a "foreign agent" for non-commercial organizations with the Constitution. The Judge dismissed the motion and said that he did not see any uncertainty or ambiguity in the provisions of the law, the "Interfax" reports.

In her turn, a representative of the Ministry of Justice, speaking as a witness, told the Court that after the Association "Golos" received funds from abroad in January, they initiated checking of its activities and the inspection revealed political signs in its activities. The witness refused to clarify what activities of the Association bore political signs.

Another witness at the trial was a representative of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, who stated that the Association waived the Sakharov Award, when it became aware of the monetary reward. According to his version, the awarding and payment of 10,000 US dollars were only initiated by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee. The witness has stated that the Association did not take the funds from the account and returned them to the Norwegian Helsinki Committee.

Representatives of the "Golos" registered violations during the elections, including in the South of Russia in Krasnodar, Tikhoretsk, Adygea, Sochi, Nevinnomyssk, and other cities and regions, and also during the elections to the State Duma and the presidential election.

After pronouncing the decision in respect of the Association "Golos", the Court started hearings on a similar case against Liliya Shibanova, Executive Director of the Association. She pleaded not guilty. "We have never received any financing from abroad," Liliya Shibanova stated.

The Magistrate Court of the Presnya District of Moscow pronounced the decision to fine the Executive Director of the "Golos" 100,000 roubles, the "Gazeta.ru" reports.

Ramil Akhmetgaliev, the advocate of the "Golos", has stated that the court decision will be challenged. According to his version, the charges of receiving foreign financing are "totally groundless", since the Association has not entered into any agreement with the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, the "RBC" reports.