Russia jails prominent vote monitor for 5 years

Melkonyants is found guilty and sentenced to five years in a general regime prison colony,

state media reported the judge as saying in Moscow's Basmanny district court

During these years, hundreds of thousands of honest and well-educated people have become observers,

he added

I cannot know how much longer my confinement will last, but I am confident that sooner or later I will be released and reunited with my loved ones and friends. And this anticipation fills my soul with joy,

he said

Don't worry, I'm not despairing. You shouldn't despair either!”

After a judge of the Basmanny District Court delivered the verdict, Melkonyants, 44, told several dozen supporters and journalists from the glass defendant's cage

I would really like to hope that they will handle this objectively. Because his criticism, often professional, helped us a lot sometimes.”

Ella Pamfilova, chair of Russia's Central Election Commission, the country's main election authority, spoke out in his support at the time, telling Russian business daily Vedomosti about the case

Even though things are getting tougher, we're still doing what we do,

Andreichuk said

This absurd case (against Melkonyants) defies easy explanation, not only for foreigners but even for ourselves,

Golos co-chair Stanislav Andreichuk told Reuters

A real democracy in Russia wouldn't be a military threat. But an authoritarian government will keep threatening its neighbours,

he said