Russians Face Lengthy Jail Terms for Voting at Noon
Russian voters who want to show their opposition to the tightly controlled presidential ballot by turning up to voting booths at the same time could be jailed for up to eight years if they take part in what has been called a "rally against Putin."
However, since Navalny's death, a plan has gathered traction that calls for Russians to head to voting sites at midday Sunday, the final day of the three-day ballot. Newsweek emailed the Kremlin for comment on Saturday.
The website "Noon Against Putin" calls on voters to queue up for paper ballots and "do what you think is right," whether that means backing someone they like, ticking every box, spoiling the ballot or don't vote at all.
"We want this dark time to end," the Noon Against Putin site said. "When we come to the polling stations, we will show others and see for ourselves that there are many of us."
Navalny's Telegram channel has promoted the idea. It has been backed by the late Kremlin critic's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, and has been described by Russian independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta as "Navalny's political testament."
However, the Moscow Prosecutor's Office has warned that participation against such a rally risks breaching three articles of Russia's Criminal Code and can carry maximum sentences of between five and eight years.
It said that calls for participation in illegal mass public actions "are punishable under current and criminal legislation."
www.newsweek.com
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There are a pair of tiny little hands in the US taking notes on, How to Become President for Life and Stay That Way.
