OSCE not to send observers to ‘elections’ in occupied Crimea

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will not send observers to monitor the Russian parliamentary elections in the Russian-occupied Crimea.

Head of the ODIHR mission Jan Petersen said this in a commentary to Interfax Russian news agency.

He stressed that "the mission is working in the interests of all 57 OSCE member states" and the decision not to send observers to Crimea "was made on the basis of this fact, in the interests of all the OSCE participating states."

 "The long-term observers for other regions of Russia will be sent this week," Petersen said.

As a reminder, the Russia’s State Duma elections will be held on September 18.

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