Russias Supreme Court bars Yabloko party from September parliamentary elections over war opposition

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Russias Supreme Court bars Yabloko party from September parliamentary elections over war opposition
Russias Supreme Court bars Yabloko party from September parliamentary elections over war opposition
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Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday barred the liberal Yabloko party from participating in September’s parliamentary elections, removing the only officially registered party openly opposing the war in Ukraine from the ballot.
The ruling, delivered by presiding Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov, cited alleged violations including undeclared foreign financing, extremism, irregularities in candidate documents, and support for the LGBTQIA+ community. The lawsuit was filed by the pro-Kremlin nationalist Rodina party, which accused Yabloko of breaching electoral law, campaigning on banned social networks, and copyright infringement .
Yabloko, which had been unexpectedly approved for the election in July, campaigned under the slogan “For Peace and Freedom” and called for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine. Party leader Nikolai Rybakov denied the allegations and announced plans to appeal the decision .
Hundreds of young Russians gathered outside the Supreme Court in Moscow on Monday, chanting “Shame, shame!” as the verdict was delivered . The party had seen growing support, particularly among younger voters, since its initial approval, leading some observers to speculate that its exclusion was driven by fear of its potential performance .
The European Commission responded by stating that the Kremlin was silencing internal voices critical of the war against Ukraine . The EU also said the decision was unsurprising, given Yabloko’s stance as the sole anti-war party on the ballot .
Yabloko’s deputy leader was previously sentenced to seven years in a penal colony, according to reports . The party has not held a parliamentary group in the Duma since 2003.
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