Moscow (EFE).- The Russian Supreme Court announced on Monday the decision to bar Yabloko, the only party opposing the war in Ukraine, from September elections.
The court upheld a complaint filed by Rodina (Motherland), an ultra-nationalist party, which accused Yabloko of foreign funding and other violations. Rodina was backed by the Central Election Commission (CEC).
Yabloko, whose electoral list had been approved by the CEC in late July, immediately announced that it would appeal the ruling within the five-day timeframe.
As soon as they heard the verdict, the hundreds of supporters of the country’s only legal opposition party gathered in front of the courthouse and shouted, “Shame!”
A police officer threatened the young people present and warned that if they did not disperse «within two or three minutes,» they would be sent to the recruitment office.
Vyacheslav Kirillov, the judge who presided over the hearing deemed Yabloko’s exclusion justified.
According to the local press, it is the first time in the country’s modern history that a political party has been disqualified after its name officially appeared on the ballot, where it ranked second behind the Kremlin-backed United Russia party.
“The most important thing is for people to stop killing each other,” said Nikolai Ribakov, the party’s leader, at the conclusion of the hearing.
As of Monday, a Central Election Commission (CEC) representative handed a judge a confidential document that would allegedly confirm the opposition party’s “foreign funding,” which is strictly prohibited by law.
The CEC claimed that it was confirmed before and during the current election campaign by Rosfinmonitoring, the Russian financial watchdog that compiles the list of extremists and terrorists in Russia.
In an attempt to avoid accusations of receiving foreign support, the party distanced itself on Friday from the opposition-in-exile’s call to vote for Yabloko in the Sep. 20 Duma elections.
As part of the lawsuit filed by the ultra-nationalist party Rodina (Motherland), opposition members are accused of inciting extremism, violating Russia’s territorial integrity, supporting sexual minorities, and infringing on intellectual property rights during the election campaign.
The liberal party is calling for an immediate ceasefire, prompt peace negotiations with Ukraine, and the release of over 1,750 political prisoners, among other things.
Ribakov claimed that the real reason behind the lawsuit is that «we are in favor of peace, while they are in favor of bloodshed.» They understand that people want to vote for peace. And they’re afraid. That’s why they want to exclude us from the elections.”
According to polls by the Levada Center, two-thirds of Russians want to see the military campaign end as soon as possible. Authorities and parties loyal to the Kremlin fear that Yabloko will rally the protest vote against the campaign.EFE
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