Russian Ombudswoman appeals to UN over violations

Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova said on Saturday (16 March) she had appealed to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk over "gross" violations of Russian citizens' electoral rights in the country's border regions of Pskov and Leningrad, as well as in the exclave of Kaliningrad.

"Polling stations have been set up in the Leningrad and Pskov regions, as well as in Kaliningrad, where our compatriots can come and express their will, but they are facing obstacles in exercising their right to vote. They all realize the possibility of facing violence and repressions. For my part, I have appealed to the UN high commissioner for human rights not only to draw attention of the entire global community to gross violations of fundamental norms of law, but also to push for measures to prevent a repeat and spread, and simply stop such violations," Moskalkova said at a polling station at the Narva-Ivangorod border crossing located near Estonia.

The ombudswoman also questioned Western countries' commitment to the principles of the rule of law and human rights, saying that the norms of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights were being "grossly violated."

Earlier this week, Latvian state police chief Armands Ruks said that the police, border service and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs would check Russian citizens' documents at the entrance to polling stations in Riga during the Russian presidential election, adding that people with expired residence permits would face deportation.

The three-day voting in the Russian presidential election started on Friday morning. Over 700 international observers from 106 countries have been accredited to polling stations in the country, including the new territories. In addition to incumbent President Vladimir Putin, the candidates include Leonid Slutsky, the chairman of the lower house international affairs committee, Nikolay Kharitonov, the chairman of the lower house Far East and Arctic development committee, and lower house Deputy Chairman Vladislav Davankov.