Russia

1. THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND BE ELECTED.

  1. Do visually impaired (hereafter VI) people suffer any restrictions to their rights to vote and/or to be elected? If yes, give details.
    No
  2. During election campaigns what measures are taken to ensure that VI people are ensured full autonomy concerning the availability of information distributed by candidates, access to pre-electoral meetings, access to different campaign media?
    Such measures are reflected in the election law.
  3. Are special measures put in place to ensure that polling stations are accessible to VI people?
    Such measures were adopted.
  4. Within polling stations, what measures are taken to ensure that VI people can exercise their rights in an autonomous and confidential manner?
    There are devices for the blind and other special devices (stencils)
  5. In the case of proportional elections (by lists of candidates), what measures are taken to ensure that VI people can exercise their rights in an autonomous and confidential manner?

    The rights are reflected in the election law.

  6. Are their measures in place to assist VI people in the polling booths and when casting their vote in the urns?
    There are technical devices; assistance from another person is permitted.
  7. Are voting machines in place in your country? If yes, please detail how these are made accessible to VI people.
    There are test samples of voting machines for the blind; at the present time they are being tested in the Central Election Committee of Russia.

2. PARTICIPATION IN NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE PUBLIC AND POLITICAL LIFE OF THE COUNTRY, AND IN THE ACTIVITIES AND ADMINISTRATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES.

  1. Can VI people in your country participate in an unrestricted manner in political parties, unions, public and political organisations and associations?
    Yes
  2. Are their VI people in who have been elected to political, trade-union or associative office in your country?
    There are 2 deputies of the State Duma, more than 20 000 members of different political parties, about 215 000 members of non-government organizations (VOS and others).
  3. Do VI people in your country have unrestricted access to administrative office, including at top-level?
    There are no blind people, holding office in the executive bodies at top-level.

3. FORMING AND JOINING ORGANISATIONS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.

  1. Please give an overview of the number/type of associations or organisations representing VI people in your country.
    The All-Russian Association of the Blind, a non-government deafblind organization “Камерата” and others.
  2. What is the role played by these associations in representing VI people?
    The All-Russian Association of the Blind is an important social institution aimed at promoting the interests of the visually impaired people in Russia.
  3. How are VI people included in associations representing them?
    By applying to the local organization.

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