Russian authorities have detained former presidential candidate Boris Nadezhdin, just days after the country’s Justice Ministry designated him a so-called “foreign agent,” accusing him of spreading “false information.”
Details
Nadezhdin announced his detention on his Telegram channel, saying that police officers arrived at his home and took the 63-year-old politician to a police station in Dolgoprudny, near Moscow. Authorities have not officially disclosed the reasons for his detention.
According to The Moscow Times, less than a month earlier Nadezhdin had announced his intention to run in the State Duma elections, scheduled for September 20, and had begun collecting signatures in support of his candidacy.
However, on July 10, Russia’s Justice Ministry added him to its register of “foreign agents.” Officials claimed that he had spread allegedly false information about the Russian government and the country’s electoral system, called for participation in unauthorized protests, and cooperated with organizations labeled as “undesirable.”
The ministry also designated Candidates’ Headquarters, an organization associated with Nadezhdin that supports independent election candidates, as a “foreign agent.”
Nadezhdin argues that the decision was politically motivated and ordered by the Kremlin. He believes the authorities are attempting to remove strong political challengers ahead of the parliamentary elections.
According to The Moscow Times, the decision to block Nadezhdin’s participation reportedly came after the Kremlin observed long lines of supporters signing petitions to nominate him as one of the few openly anti-war candidates.
Background
Russia’s Central Election Commission rejected Nadezhdin’s presidential candidacy in 2024. Ahead of the upcoming elections, independent candidates have increasingly been barred from running through charges such as “discrediting the armed forces” or “displaying extremist symbols.”
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