The Associated Press reported that Russia’s Supreme Court canceled Yabloko’s federal candidate list for September’s State Duma election on August 10. The decision matters because Yabloko had made a ceasefire and peace central parts of its national campaign.
Key Facts
- The ruling canceled Yabloko’s registered federal candidate list.
- It did not dissolve Yabloko as a political party.
- Yabloko said it would appeal, but the available sources describe an announced appeal rather than a decided one.
What the court decided
AP reported that the court granted a challenge brought by Rodina, also known as Motherland. Rodina had asked the court to annul the Central Election Commission’s registration of Yabloko’s federal list.
Annulment means the earlier registration is canceled. The reported ruling concerned the party’s federal list rather than its legal existence as a political organization.
Russia’s Justice Ministry continued to list both Yabloko and Rodina among the country’s registered political parties. The ministry’s listing distinguishes this election ruling from an order dissolving or outlawing Yabloko.
What Rodina alleged
According to AP, Rodina alleged copyright violations, improper campaign spending and election-law problems involving Yabloko’s position on Ukraine. Those assertions were allegations made in Rodina’s challenge, not independently established facts.
Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov and the party’s lawyers contested the allegations during the hearing, AP reported.
How Yabloko describes the ruling
In an August 12 statement, Yabloko said it had received the court’s reasoned ruling. In the party’s account, the court cited certain donations, support displayed on restricted social platforms and alleged copyright violations.
Yabloko said the court rejected other allegations, including challenges to its nomination process and claims involving extremist content. The party disputed the stated grounds and maintained that its campaign complied with election law.
Yabloko describes its program as supporting an immediate ceasefire, diplomacy, peace and efforts to prevent nuclear war. AP characterized it as the only registered Russian opposition party opposing the country’s military action in Ukraine.
What happens next
Yabloko said it would appeal the ruling. El País also described further review as announced, not completed, in its August 13 report.
The case therefore remained in a reviewable procedural posture rather than a verified final appellate outcome. The ruling’s immediate reported scope was the federal candidate list for this election.
