Supporters of Russian opposition party 'Yabloko' detained

Supporters of the Russian liberal opposition party "Yabloko" have been detained amid a Supreme Court review that could finalize the party's exclusion from the upcoming parliamentary elections. The detentions highlight the increasing pressure on dissenting voices in Russia.

The party is challenging a court decision from last week that canceled its registration for the State Duma elections, scheduled for September 18-20. This decision followed a lawsuit filed by the ultranationalist "Rodina" party, which is aligned with the Kremlin. "Rodina" accused "Yabloko" of violating Russian election laws.

"Yabloko" has expressed skepticism about its chances of winning the legal battle. The party had previously warned its supporters about police pressure, reporting that uniformed officers visited some supporters' homes to discourage them from attending court sessions. Actor Viktor Balabanov, who was slated to run on the "Yabloko" ticket, was reportedly among those detained.

The party advocates for a ceasefire in the conflict in Ukraine, which Russia launched in February 2022. In contrast, pro-Kremlin parties have labeled "Yabloko" members as traitors and Western agents. Currently, ten parties, all favorable to the Kremlin and supportive of President Vladimir Putin, have been cleared to participate in the State Duma elections.

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Yabloko" published videos documenting the detentions. N. Rybakov urged the court to order the release of those detained and to stop what he described as police attempts to intimidate them.