Russia’s Supreme Court Upholds Yabloko Ban, Sentences Chairman to 11 Years in Prison
Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday, Aug. 17, upheld a ruling barring Yabloko, the country’s only registered liberal party from September’s parliamentary elections. Separately, prosecutors have requested a 12-year sentence for Yabloko’s deputy chairman, Lev Shlosberg. The decision follows an Aug. 10 lawsuit that accused the party of receiving foreign funding and promoting “extremism.”
Russia's Supreme Court has upheld its decision to ban Yabloko, the country's only registered liberal and anti-war party, from participating in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The party's leader, Nikolai Rybakov, called the court's decision "intimidation." Yabloko's deputy chairman, Lev Shlosberg, was sentenced to 11 years in a penal colony after being convicted for criticizing Moscow's full-scale invasion.
The court based its decision on allegations of promoting extremism and receiving foreign funding. Yabloko currently holds only a few regional seats and has no representation in the State Duma, which is dominated by the Kremlin-backed United Russia party. Despite its pro-peace stance, Yabloko does not support Ukraine's war against Russia.
Instead, the party advocates for an immediate ceasefire. Public support for peace has reportedly grown in Russia, with polls showing a decline in support for the war and military.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
