Aleksandrs Gaponenko

Versions of names: Александр Гапоненко, Александр Владимирович Гапоненко

Latvia

Political activity

Alexandrs Gaponenko is the co-chairman of the Non-Citizens' Congress of Latvia and head of the Baltic branch of the Izborsky Club. According to the investigation carried out in the connection with the development of the documentary “Dangerous Liaisons”, he has received his share of the Kremlin money through his European Research Institute. Alexandrs Gaponenko has been subjected to searches and arrests for his anti-state activities since 2014. In 2018, he was arrested on charges of “trying to overthrow the government and inciting national hatred” on Facebook. 2 months later, “actions in favor of a foreign state” were added to those charges. He is prohibited from entering Estonia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Moldova.

Missions

Individual observers at the 2018 Russian presidential election in annexed Crimea

Political affiliation at time of mission: not identified

Official function at time of mission: Institutional affiliation to the Latvian Non-Citizens' Congress

Official function: Institutional affiliation to the Baltic branch of the Izborsky Club think tank

Corresponding elections

Presidential Election Russia Crimea 2018

Classification: illegitimate

The overwhelming majority of the world’s nations does not recognise Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea in 2014, while international institutions such as the OSCE ODIHR considered Russian elections held in Crimea as illegitimate and did not send international election observers there. In their turn, Ukrainian authorities warned that any participation in the electoral process in Crimea would be illegal.