Analysts comment on involvement of Palestinian refugees in election in Northern Caucasus

The emphasis on the participation of Palestinian refugees in the Russian presidential election in Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan and Karachay-Cherkessia was made by decision of the Kremlin, a human rights defender and an expert on the Caucasus are sure. In their opinion, authorities could both seek to show that refugees from Palestine expressed their confidence in the head of state, and once again recall the Russia's position in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The emphasis in the media on the voting of refugees from Palestine is a Moscow's initiative, Ruslan Kutaev, the President of the Assembly of Caucasian Nations, believes. "Authorities need to indicate and show that Palestinian refugees are happy in Russia and they vote for Putin and trust him," Mr Kutaev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In his opinion, it is unlikely that refugees were forced to vote.

Svetlana Gannushkina*, the head of the "Civic Assistance" Committee*, is also confident that no pressure was exerted on refugees. "They do what they find comfortable and what seems useful," she has emphasized.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.