Russia

OSCE/ODIHR not invited to monitor State Duma elections — diplomat

TASS English · 2026-08-27

AI SUMMARY

• What happened: The OSCE/ODIHR will not monitor the upcoming State Duma elections in Russia, as stated by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, who criticized the organization as hypocritical. • Why it matters: This decision reflects ongoing tensions between Russia and Western countries, with Zakharova citing "Russophobia" as a barrier to dialogue on electoral standards. • What to watch next: The State Duma elections are scheduled for September 18-20, 2026, and it will be important to observe which international organizations are invited to monitor the elections and how the electoral process unfolds without OSCE/ODIHR oversight.

OSCE/ODIHR not invited to monitor State Duma elections — diplomat The ODIHR has established itself as a tool of hypocrisy, Maria Zakharova said MOSCOW, August 27. /TASS/. The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR), which has established itself as a tool of hypocrisy, will not participate in monitoring the upcoming State Duma elections in September, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. "I believe that the ODIHR will go down as a structure famous for its double standards as an international elections overseer," she said. "We have already said that it is exactly because of these reasons that it will not participate in international monitoring of the September elections in Russia." "I would like to emphasize that our country, in accordance with the Copenhagen Document of 1990, completely fulfills its obligations by having invited a number of international organizations and structures, as well as individual OSCE countries, to observe [the election process]," Zakharova noted. "We continue to advocate for the joint development of universal standards for observing international elections," she continued. "However, in the current climate of rampant Russophobia in Western countries there is unfortunately no need to talk about any dialogue with them, including in the electoral sphere," Zakharova concluded. Elections for State Duma lawmakers in the ninth convocation will be held from September 18-20, 2026. 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Source: TASS English
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