Putin tightens conditions for reporting on elections in Russia
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has tightened the conditions for election reporting ahead of the presidential election in Russia, which is expected to take place in March. According to a decree published on Tuesday, journalists whose media are not registered with the authorities are no longer allowed to attend meetings of the election commission. Only journalists "authorized by law" will be allowed to take photos and videos at polling stations.
The new restrictions deny bloggers, independent journalists and employees of Russian media working from exile access to polling stations. They will be banned from taking part in voting and counting. The decree will also apply to the Ukrainian regions that Russia declared annexed last year.
The presidential election in Russia is expected to take place in March 2024. According to Russian law, the exact date of the first round must be announced in mid-December. Putin has not yet officially announced his candidacy for a fifth term, but there is little doubt that he will run again.
Putin has been in power since 2000. He would not actually have been allowed to run again in 2024, but a constitutional amendment in 2020 secured him two further six-year terms in office. This means that the 71-year-old could remain in the Kremlin until 2036.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has increasingly restricted media freedom and tightened repression against the opposition. Most of Putin's political opponents are in prison or in exile.
- Under these new conditions, foreign journalists or those working for unregistered media outlets in Russia will likely face challenges in reporting on the election process, including access to polling stations.
- Critics argue that these restrictions will further isolate the Russian public from international reporting and hinder transparency during the elections, potentially influencing the election reporting and subsequent reporting on the election results.
- As a result of Putin's tightened regulations, independent Russian media working both within and outside of the country may struggle to cover the elections fairly and accurately, potentially compromising the integrity of the electoral process in Russia.
Source: www.ntv.de
