Russia Upholds Election Ban on Anti-War Yabloko Party and Jails Deputy Leader Lev Shlosberg

Russia’s top court has officially rejected an appeal by the anti-war Yabloko party against a recent ruling that bans it from participating in upcoming elections, while another court has sentenced its deputy leader to prison. The opposition party confirmed on Monday that its legal challenge had failed.

Opposition activists stated that the ban demonstrates the deepening erosion of Russia’s democracy and represents a clear effort to silence dissent against the war in Ukraine. The Supreme Court handed down the ban last week, eliminating the only registered political party calling for an end to the conflict from the ballot for September’s parliamentary vote.

“The Appeals Chamber of the Supreme Court upheld the court’s decision to revoke the registration of Yabloko’s federal list of candidates for the State Duma elections,” the party said in a statement on Monday, adding that it plans to seek a supervisory review.

The legal action against Yabloko was initiated by Rodina, a small pro-Kremlin nationalist party, which accused Yabloko of receiving Western backing and attempting to undermine both the electoral process and Russia itself. Yabloko strongly denied the accusations, emphasizing that the party represents the views of millions of Russians and that the ban deprives citizens of the only ballot option opposed to the Ukraine war.

Simultaneously, another court sentenced Yabloko’s deputy leader Lev Shlosberg to 11 years and one month in a penal colony due to his vocal opposition to the military campaign in Ukraine. Shlosberg was convicted of harming the reputation of Russia’s armed forces and spreading false information about them.

This conviction stems from legislation enacted following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which enforces severe prison terms for individuals found guilty of discrediting the military. Consequently, very few groups have been able to openly criticize the conflict. However, figures such as Shlosberg, human rights campaigner Oleg Orlov, and the late dissident Alexei Navalny have continued to speak out against tyranny and repression.

In a defiant closing statement during his trial, Shlosberg condemned the war as a catastrophe for Russia, predicting that the true death toll will eventually be revealed to the entire nation.

Outside the courtroom, police detained dozens of supporters and journalists who had gathered to hear the verdict. Kirill Goncharov, head of Yabloko’s Moscow branch, noted the heavy police presence, while party leader Nikolay Rybakov described the detentions as acts of intimidation.