A Russian court disqualifies a sitting Communist deputy over the copyright to Microsoft fonts in his campaign ads

In a recent legal decision, a Russian court has disqualified a sitting Communist deputy from the State Duma, Mikhail Matveyev, due to copyright infringement in his campaign advertisements. The lawsuit, brought forth by Anna Sarantseva, a candidate from the Party of Pensioners, alleged that Matveyev's campaign materials utilized photographs and Microsoft fonts without obtaining the necessary permissions from the copyright holders.

The regional election commission supported the allegations, and Matveyev intends to appeal the ruling. Matveyev is regarded as one of the KPRF’s strongest single-mandate candidates, securing the Krasnoglinsky district in 2021. Political analyst Konstantin Kalachev noted that the KPRF had previously decided to avoid nominating candidates who had previously defeated United Russia rivals in the 2021 election, potentially granting United Russia a supermajority in the Duma.

However, the party ultimately declined to nominate two prominent single-mandate candidates, including Matveyev. The case highlights the increasing use of copyright complaints as a tool to eliminate opposition candidates during the current campaign.