Politics · Russia · 2 days ago
Yabloko chairman fined for writing anti-war messages on ballots
Nikolai Rybakov, chairman of the Russian opposition party Yabloko, was fined 1,000 rubles by a court in St. Petersburg.
The court said he spoiled his ballots at a polling station on September 20 and put them in the ballot box.
Rybakov checked boxes next to every candidate and wrote messages calling for peace and a ceasefire.
He told the court that invalidating ballots expressed his political views, not disrespect for society.
Yabloko was the only party to campaign in the September 18–20 elections with anti-war slogans.
Russia’s Supreme Court had overturned Yabloko’s registration for the State Duma election in August.
The party then urged supporters to spoil their ballots as a form of protest.
A St. Petersburg court fined Yabloko chairman Nikolai Rybakov 1,000 rubles for writing anti-war messages on his election ballots.
The court said he spoiled the ballots on September 20 and placed them in the ballot box.
Rybakov wrote “Yabloko. For Peace” and “Yabloko. For a Ceasefire Agreement” on the ballots.
He said the act expressed his political position and did not show disrespect for society.
After the party was barred from the State Duma election, Yabloko urged supporters to spoil their ballots in protest.
- Who
- Nikolai Rybakov, chairman of the Russian opposition party Yabloko.
- What
- A St. Petersburg court fined him 1,000 rubles for petty hooliganism over writing anti-war messages on his ballots.
- When
- The ballots were marked on September 20. The article was published on October 9, 2026.
- Where
- At a polling station in St. Petersburg.
- Why
- The court said his actions showed disrespect for society and violated public order. Rybakov said he was expressing his political position.
St. Petersburg court
Nikolai Rybakov
Conduct
St. Petersburg court
The court said Rybakov acted out of hooligan motives and violated public order.
Nikolai Rybakov
Rybakov said he invalidated his ballots to express his political position, not to show disrespect for society.
Rybakov’s actions disregarded the interests of society and other voters, ignored the rules of decency and propriety, demonstrated his disrespect for society, and resulted in damage to someone else’s property, thereby showing blatant disrespect for society and violating public order
more than 900,000 voters did the same
showed no disrespect for society, of which he is a part
his whole life
Russia’s Supreme Court overturned Yabloko’s registration for the State Duma election.
Yabloko campaigned in the elections with anti-war slogans.
Rybakov marked and deposited his ballots at a polling station.
Meduza reported that a St. Petersburg court had fined Rybakov 1,000 rubles.
- Fine
- 1,000 rubles
- Person fined
- Nikolai Rybakov, Yabloko chairman
- Charge
- Petty hooliganism
- Ballot messages
- Yabloko. For Peace” and “Yabloko. For a Ceasefire Agreement
- Ballot date
- September 20
Sources
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