Source: HRO.org (info), 19/01/12 

· Human rights defenders 

According to media reports, on 18 January 2012 the head of the FSB in the Republic of Komi, Aleksandr Kalashnikov, named the Golos Association and Komi Memorial Human Rights Commission in an official report as “extremist organizations operating in the Republic.” 

Aleksandr Kalashnikov asserts that the activities of these organizations are “directed from abroad, are often financed by foreign non-governmental foundations, and are directed at the transformation of the political system in Russia.” He said the upcoming demonstrations planned for 4 and 24 February were extremist, and stressed that their main goal was to “disrupt the holding of presidential elections in Russia.” 

Throughout the world, elections are the main means by which political systems are changed. This is the purpose for which they are designated. In the opinion of Mr Kalashnikov, elections in Russia are needed for some other purpose – apparently to preserve the mythical “stability”, as the current government understands it. Judging by the mass fraud practised at the 4 December elections, Mr Kalashnikov is not the only person to hold this view. [Read more]