Chapter 4. OBSERVERS, FOREIGN (INTERNATIONAL) OBSERVERS, MEMBERS OF THE PRESS

Article 30. Observers

1. Observers may be appointed by each political party and which registered a federal list of candidates.

2. Eligible to act as an observer shall be a Russian Federation citizen who is entitled to an active electoral right. Ineligible for appointment as observers shall be persons occupying elective offices, deputies, top executives of the subjects of the Russian Federation (heads of the higher executive bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation), heads of local administrations, persons directly subordinated to them, judges, prosecutors, voting members of election commissions.

3. The powers of an observer shall be certified in writing in the credentials issued by the political party mentioned in Part 1 of this article. The credentials must indicate the surname, first name and patronymic of the observer; his residence address; the number of the electoral precinct to which he is sent; the fact that the person does not come within the restrictions set forth in Part 2 of this article. Provision of any additional information about the observer shall not be required. The credentials shall be valid if produced together with the passport or an equivalent identity document. No advance notification about sending of an observer shall be required.

4. The credentials indicated in Part 3 of this article may be produced to the precinct election commission in the period provided for by Part 5, Article 29 of this Federal Law and to other election commissions - in the period from the commencement of voting in polling stations to completion of the work on the protocol of vote returns, election results, including results of vote recount.

5. The political party mentioned in Part 1 of this article may appoint several observers to each election commission, who may take turns while monitoring the activities at the polling station. Two and more persons, representing the interests of one political party, shall not simultaneously act as observers on the premises of an election commission or at the polling station. No restrictions other than those imposed by this Federal Law shall be established on the presence of observers on the premises of an election commission or at the polling station; on monitoring of voting and vote counting, preparation of protocols of vote returns; on the issuance of copies of these protocols.

6. The observer may:

(1) inspect voter lists, the register of issued absentee certificates, absentee certificates kept by the election commission, register of applications for voting outside the polling station;

(2) be present at the polling station of the given electoral precinct on voting day, on the days of early voting at any time during the period mentioned in Part 5, Article 29 of this Federal Law;

(3) watch ballots being issued to voters;

(4) be present when voters vote outside the polling station;

(5) watch the number of voters on the voter lists, number of ballots issued to voters, number of canceled ballots, number of absentee certificates being counted;

(6) watch votes being counted from a distance and in the conditions which allow the observer to see the marks made on the ballots by voters;

(7) inspect any marked and unmarked ballot when votes are being counted; watch the election commission preparing the protocol of vote returns and other documents during the period mentioned in Part 5, Article 29 of this Federal Law;

(8) make proposals and remarks concerning the organization of voting to the chairman of the precinct election commission or, in his absence, to a person acting for him;

(9) inspect the protocol of the election commission to which the observer is sent and protocols of vote returns, election results of election commissions of the next lower level and documents attached to these protocols; receive from the election commission certified copies of the these protocols;

(10) appeal decisions and actions (omissions) of the election commission to which the observer is sent to the election commission of the next higher level or a court;

(11) be present at vote recount in the given election commission.

7. The observers shall not:

(1) issue ballots to voters;

(2) sign for a voter for receipt of a ballot even when asked to do so by the voter;

(3) mark the ballot for a voter even when asked to do so by the voter;

(4) do anything that violates the secrecy of voting;

(5) directly participate in the counting of ballots together with the voting members of the election commission;

(6) do anything that interferes with the work of the election commission;

(7) conduct election campaigning among voters;

(8) participate in the adoption of decisions by the election commission.

Article 31. Foreign (International) Observers

1. Foreign (international) observers shall receive a permission for entry into the Russian Federation in accordance with the procedure established by the federal law and, if they receive an invitation mentioned in Part 3 of this article, they shall be accredited by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

2. The activity of foreign (international) observers shall be regulated by the international treaties of the Russian Federation, this Federal Law, and other federal laws.

3. Invitations may be extended by the President of the Russian Federation, the chambers of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation, the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation after the official publication of a decision to call the election of deputies of the State Duma. The suggestions to extend invitations may be made by the Human Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation, international and national governmental and non-governmental organizations and private persons that enjoy high prestige in the field of the protection of human rights. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall extend invitations to election bodies of foreign states and to international organizations specializing in the problems of electoral legislation and elections, protection of the rights of citizens to participate in elections and referendums.

4. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall issue a foreign (international) observer with an ID card of an established form on the basis of the documents presented by the observer (an application for accreditation as a foreign (international) observer; a copy of the invitation received from any body or person mentioned in Part 3 of this article; an identity document of the foreign (international) observer This ID card shall allow the foreign (international) observer to carry on his activity during the period mentioned in Part 5 of this article.

5. The period of powers of a foreign (international) observer shall commence from the day on which the observer receives accreditation at the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and shall end on the day of the official publication of the results of the election of deputies of the State Duma.

6. Election commissions, bodies of state power, other state bodies, bodies of local self-government, officials shall render the necessary assistance to a foreign (international) observer within the scope of their competence.

7. A foreign (international) observer shall carry on his activity independently and by himself. The material and financial support for the activity of a foreign (international) observer shall be provided for the account of the organization which sent the observer or for his own account.

8. Foreign (international) observers may meet with candidates, representatives of political parties and other public associations, observers.

9. Foreign (international) observers may publicly express their opinion about the electoral legislation of the Russian Federation and the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma, hold press conferences and contact members of the press only after the voting time ends on the whole territory of the Russian Federation.

10. Foreign (international) observers shall not take advantage of their status to carry on activities unrelated to monitoring the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma.

11. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation may revoke accreditation of a foreign (international) observer if he violates the universally accepted principles and norms of international law, this Federal Law, other federal laws.

Article 32. Members of the Press

Members of the press participating in the coverage of the preparation and conduct of the election of deputies of the State Duma may:

(1) attend meetings of election commissions;

(2) examine the protocol of vote returns of the precinct election commission and protocols of vote returns and election results of other election commissions, including repeat protocols;

(3) receive from the relevant election commission copies of the protocols and attached documents mentioned in Paragraph 2 of this article;

(4) attend and cover election campaigning events;

(5) be present at a polling station on voting day, on the days of early voting, take photos and shoot video films.

(as amended by Federal Law No. 64-FZ of April 26, 2007)