Russia’s Supreme Court bars the country’s only anti-war party, Yabloko, from participating in parliamentary election

The Russian Supreme Court has declared Yabloko, the nation's sole anti-war political party, ineligible to participate in the forthcoming parliamentary election scheduled for September. The court hearing, which spanned roughly seven hours, heard arguments from the Rodina party, which alleged copyright infringement, excessive campaign expenses, and "extremist statements" made by Yabloko members.

However, no evidence was presented to substantiate these claims, as no copyright holders filed any complaints or representations. The court also dismissed Rodina's claims that Yabloko's logo was derived from El Lissitzky's 1920 poster "Beat the Whites With the Red Wedge." On the other hand, Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov cited President Vladimir Putin's statements advocating for a ceasefire in the conflict, emphasizing that both parties share the belief in the need for negotiations to resolve the crisis in Ukraine.

Despite the absence of a large turnout of Yabloko supporters at the courthouse, the party's press office reported that hundreds gathered in protest outside the Supreme Court, with some chanting pro-Yabloko slogans. Police intervention was reported during the protests, with some supporters being taken away by riot police.