Press Release, 2.06.2026

Photo: Nikolai Rybakov / Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

The complaint filed by Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov in the case concerning the “demonstration of extremist symbols and insignia” has been registered at the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. For a post expressing condolences to the family of Alexei Navalny, who died in prison, the Yabloko leader was fined 1,500 roubles and stripped of the right to stand in elections for one year.

Under the law (Article 30.16 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation), the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation is required to issue its ruling on the complaint no later than two months from the date of its receipt, or, in the event that the case file is requested, no later than one month from the date of the case file’s receipt by the court.

This means that, in the second scenario, the Supreme Court may issue its ruling before candidates for the State Duma are nominated at the party’s pre-election congress, which is expected to take place in late June. Should the complaint be granted, Nikolai Rybakov will be able to stand as a candidate in the 2026 State Duma elections.

It should be noted that on 4 December 2025, the Vyborgsky District Court of St. Petersburg found Yabloko party Chairman Nikolai Rybakov guilty of an administrative offence (Article 20.3, Part 1 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation – “demonstration of extremist symbols and insignia”) and fined him 1,500 roubles. The ruling of the judge of the Vyborgsky District Court was upheld without modification by judges of the St. Petersburg City Court and the Third Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction.

Previously, eight other Yabloko members had already been fined under the article concerning the “demonstration of extremist symbols”. The party regards the pressure being brought to bear as nothing other than the fulfilment of a political order to remove the party’s leaders and top politicians from the forthcoming federal and regional elections of 2026.