Russian court bars only anti-war party from standing in parliamentary elections
A Moscow court has barred Yabloko, Russia's only liberal, anti-war party, from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections. The ruling follows accusations of supporting extremist movements and alleged foreign funding, effectively removing the last organized political opposition from the ballot.
Why it matters
This decision signals a further consolidation of power by the Kremlin and the near-total elimination of legal political dissent regarding the war in Ukraine.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Yabloko chairmain Nikolai Rybakov was at the hearing in Moscow
Russia's only liberal, anti-war party will not be able to take part in next month's parliamentary elections, a Moscow court has ruled.
Yabloko was the only registered party to oppose Russia's war on Ukraine.
The case against it was brought forward by Rodina, a pro-Kremlin nationalist party.
Hundreds of people - mostly very young - on Monday had stood outside the Moscow courthouse where the hearing was taking place in support of Yabloko, singing songs and waving flags.
Videos posted on social media showed that when news of the verdict spread among the crowd, many started chanting: "Shame! Shame!"
The lawsuit by the Rodina party accused Yabloko of publicly supporting an extremist organisation by publishing material on its website in support of the "international LGBT movement", which Russia's Supreme Court designated as extremist in 2023.
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