What You Need to Know
• Lev Shlosberg, a senior member of the Yabloko party, was sentenced to 11 years and one month in prison.
• The Russian Supreme Court upheld a decision to exclude Yabloko from the upcoming parliamentary elections on September 18-20.
• Shlosberg faced charges of “discrediting” the Russian military for his anti-war statements and social media posts.
Lev Shlosberg, a senior member of the Yabloko party, was convicted by a Russian court on Monday for speaking out against the war in Ukraine and sentenced to 11 years and one month in prison. This verdict is part of a broader Kremlin effort to suppress dissent ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for September 18-20. The Russian Supreme Court also upheld a ruling that bars Yabloko from participating in the elections, further illustrating the government’s intolerance for opposition. Shlosberg, who previously served in the Pskov regional legislature, was charged with “discrediting” the military due to his calls to end the war and a controversial social media post. He has been in pretrial detention since December 2025 and has been labeled a “foreign agent,” which subjects him to increased scrutiny.
Why It Matters
The conviction of Lev Shlosberg and the exclusion of the Yabloko party from elections highlight the Kremlin’s ongoing campaign against dissent since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Yabloko is the only political party in Russia that openly opposes the war, and its marginalization reflects the broader suppression of civil liberties in the country. Shlosberg’s case is part of a pattern of targeting opposition figures, with many Yabloko members facing similar charges or being designated as “foreign agents.” This crackdown on dissent raises concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Russia as the war continues.
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