Moscow court to hear party appeal against registration denial

MOSCOW, August 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky court begins
to consider an appeal by the Russian People's Freedom Party (PARNAS)
demanding to invalidate the Justice Ministry's registration denial, the
court's press secretary, Yevgenia Pazukhina, told Itar-Tass.
"A pre-court hearing in will be held in an open regime on Monday," she
said. In her words, the parties will present their positions, the
defendant will raise its objections, and the court will appoint the date
for a trial on the merits.
In their appeal, PARNAS representatives request the court to declare
illegal the Russian Justice Ministry's refusal to register the party. "The
ministry's document cites five reasons for registration denial, and we
provide well-reasoned analysis of each of them and prove that they are
ungrounded," said Vladimir Ryzhkov, a PARNAS co-chairman. According to
Ryzhkov, the PARNAS leaders "have no illusions" about a possible court
ruling but they want to demonstrate that "they are acting in line with
law."
"Even if the party wins the suit, it will not be able to take part in
the parliamentary elections," he noted. "Under the Law on Parties, it is
necessary to register 53 regional organizations with justice offices. This
is a laborious, costly and time-consuming procedure."