Russia’s Supreme Court has barred the liberal opposition party Jabloko from participating in the September parliamentary elections.
The decision, made by Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov, upheld a complaint filed by the nationalist party Rodina. Rodina alleged that Jabloko had committed numerous violations of Russian law, citing issues such as unauthorized foreign funding.
Jabloko plans to appeal the ruling, insisting that they committed no legal transgressions. Party leader Nikolai Rybakov stated that Jabloko advocates for peace and freedom and that millions of Russians are prepared to support their party. He criticized Rodina’s lawsuit, claiming it was an attempt to obstruct the people’s freedom to choose.
Rodina’s specific accusations included copyright infringement in the party’s campaign materials, excessive expenditure on online election advertising, and receiving 16,900 rubles from the United States and Germany. Jabloko dismissed these claims, pointing out that no evidence had been presented. Meanwhile, observers speculate that the Kremlin supported Jabloko’s exclusion to minimize the risk of the party achieving significant electoral success.
