Kathmandu— Russia's Supreme Court barred the Yabloko party, a long-standing opposition group, from participating in upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18-20. The decision came after a lawsuit filed by the Rodina party alleging financial and legal infractions. Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov ruled Monday that Yabloko violated election law by accepting funds originating from individuals who themselves received financing from foreign states, as well as committing copyright infringement through its campaign materials. The party plans to appeal the ruling within the allotted five-day period.

Party History and Recent Performance

Founded in 1993 as an electoral alliance and formally registered in 2001, Yabloko is one of Russia’s oldest political parties. The party achieved its most significant electoral success in 1999, surpassing the 5% threshold to secure 20 seats in the Russian parliament. However, it has struggled in recent elections, receiving only 1.34% of the vote in the 2021 parliamentary elections.

Allegations and Court Ruling

The Rodina party brought forward a lawsuit that led to Monday’s ruling by Judge Kirillov. The court found Yabloko violated election law through its funding sources, specifically accepting money from individuals who had previously received financial support from foreign states. In addition to the financing concerns, the court also determined that Yabloko infringed on copyright laws during its campaign, including unauthorized use of images and film excerpts.

Yabloko’s Response

Following the Supreme Court's decision, Yabloko party chair Nikolay Rybakov stated the party intends to appeal the ruling. He informed reporters that an appeal would be filed within the five-day window allowed by law. The outcome of this appeal remains uncertain as the September elections approach.

Ten parties are now set to compete for the 450 seats in the lower house of the Russian parliament, following Yabloko’s removal from the ballot.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.