RUSSIA BANS ANTI-WAR PARTY FROM SEPTEMBER ELECTIONS

Russia's Supreme Court has removed Yabloko, described as the country's only anti-war political party, from the ballot for parliamentary elections scheduled for 18 September. The court made the decision on Monday, with Yabloko releasing a copy of the ruling on Wednesday. According to the court document, the party was banned on allegations that it received donations from Russian nationals who themselves obtained money from abroad, and for material supporting the party spreading on social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook, which are restricted in Russia, as well as copyright infringement allegations.

Yabloko rejected all accusations against it in a statement, stating that the allegations "were convincingly disproved in the course of the proceedings" and that it intends to appeal the decision. The party claimed the real reason for the ban was its anti-war campaign, running under the slogan "For Peace and Freedom". Russia has faced sustained international criticism for repression of civil society, with human rights advocates and the United Nations saying such campaigns have intensified since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2023.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Russia to overturn the ban on Wednesday, expressing deep concern about "the barring of Yabloko, one of Russia's oldest political parties". European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper described the court's decision as further evidence of Russian attacks on fundamental freedoms, stating that the Kremlin was removing "any domestic voice that has been critical of its unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine".