Russian Supreme Court Rejects Jabloko Appeal Against Election Ban

The Supreme Court of Russia has rejected an appeal by the liberal opposition party Jabloko regarding its removal from the State Duma elections. The ruling follows a lower court decision that disqualified the party's candidate list. The session was presided over by Judge Vladimir Zaitsev, who previously ruled against Alexei Navalny in 2018 and upheld the terrorist designation of the FBK. Jabloko intends to file a supervisory complaint with the Presidium of the Supreme Court.

The legal dispute involved allegations of copyright violations and illegal campaign activity. Jabloko's legal representative, Vitaly Isakov, argued that the court ignored distinctions between party materials and campaign agitation. He specifically contested claims regarding the use of a song and a play, and noted that an image used in an article was generated by ChatGPT. The court refused to admit a document providing consent for the use of the song, citing doubts about its authenticity because it was sent via email from an heir living abroad.

Reports on the event differ in focus and framing. A center left source emphasizes the legal technicalities of the copyright dispute and quotes party chairman Nikolay Rybakov, who described the decision as the official dismantling of the institution of elections. A center right source frames the event as part of a broader Kremlin crackdown on the last legal opposition party. This source highlights the sentencing of Jabloko deputy chairman Lev Schlossberg to over eleven years in prison for diskrediting the army and mentions that other party leaders have faced fines and imprisonment.

Security was tight during the proceedings. The center left source reports that listeners were detained and the public was barred from the courtroom. The center right source states that at least 55 people were temporarily detained during the hearing.