Person of the Week: Lilia Shibanova

posted 19 Dec 2016, 09:24 by Rights in Russia   [ updated 19 Dec 2016, 09:30 ]
On 14 December 2016 the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) reported that Lilia Shibanova was being prevented from leaving Russia. Lilia Shibanova is a founder of the independent Russian election monitoring network, Golos. Since 2013 she has been a resident of Lithuania, where she works as an election expert. As RFE/RL has reported, Lilia Shibanova, then chair of the Moscow-based independent election monitor Golos, left Russia in September 2013 after the Justice Ministry suspended, in June 2013, the group's activities as a result of its refusal to register as a 'foreign agent' NGO. In April 2013 courts had imposed large fines on both Golos and Lilia Shibanova under the 'foreign agent' law. RFE/RL reported that Lilia Shibanova said at that time that Golos was being targeted 'for uncovering widespread violations in elections.' Since 2015 Lilia Shibanova has been a board member of the EPDE. 

According to EPDE, when entering Russia in November 2016 she was a subject of a strict border control and her passport was invalidated. Lilia Shibanova has said her attempts to obtain a new international passport have failed so far. The EPDE has expressed 'serious concern' about the impediment on the right of Ms Shibanova to free travel and has also strongly condemned what it calls 'ungrounded accusations of alleged document falsification by Ms Shibanova' that have appeared in some Russian media.

In a statement the EPDE says: 'The EPDE calls upon the Russian authorities to clarify the situation around the travel documents of Ms Shibanova and to assist her in obtaining valid travel documents. We also call on the government in Russia to refute the slanderous media allegations of document falsification by Ms Shibanova.'

Source:
'EPDE BOARD MEMBER LILIA SHIBANOVA PREVENTED FROM LEAVING THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION,' EPDE, 14 December 2016
'Golos Leader Leaves Russia After Suspension Of Operations,' RFE/RL, 5 September 2013
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