Election officials today barred Russia's main opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, from challenging President Vladimir Putin in the 2018 election.
The decision, a widely expected blow to the opposition, is likely to drive Navalny and his supporters onto the streets for protests over the March vote.
The Russian Central Election Commission said in a hastily convened session that Navalny was not permitted to run because of a previous conviction for fraud in a criminal case that he deems politically motivated. Russian election law bars those with criminal convictions from seeking political office, although Navalny has argued that the rule infringes on his constitutional right to seek office.
That conviction was overturned by Russia's Supreme Court, but Navalny was found guilty in a retrial, a ruling that was criticised by the European Court of Human Rights.
"I would like to point out that the conviction remains, and, therefore, I am forced to propose a draft CEC resolution, the point of which is to deny registration," said Boris Ebzeyev, a member of the commission, which voted 12 to 0 with one abstention to bar Navalny from the election.
