A Moscow court rejected in mid-April Kasparov's suit against Nashi (Ours), which he said had distributed leaflets bringing into question his honor, dignity and business reputation. Kasparov, a former world chess champion, sought 30 million rubles ($1.2 million) in compensation.
"An appeal has been filed against the Savyolovsky District Court's decision regarding Garry Kasparov's suit to defend his honor and dignity," a spokesperson for The Other Russia coalition, which comprises Kasparov's United Civil Front party, said.
Leaflets spread by the nationalist youth group Nashi following the December 2 parliamentary elections described Kasparov as "a citizen of the United States" and claimed the Russian opposition had sought "to ransack Russia's national wealth in the interests of the U.S."
Kasparov has repeatedly denied that he holds citizenship in any country except Russia, and claimed the rumor had been spread in the state-controlled media as part of a Kremlin smear campaign against the opposition. He also said the smear campaign had been led by Nashi.
On April 17, the court said there was no proof the leaflets had been made and distributed by the youth group. Kasparov's lawyers argued on Tuesday that a Nashi representative in court had not denied that the group had been behind the leaflets.
The chess grandmaster pulled out from the Russian presidential race last December, saying the authorities had made it impossible for him to run.
Nashi, which claims to be an 'anti-fascist' movement, was formed in 2005, and grew out of the pro-Putin Idushchiye Vmeste (Walking Together) movement, which gained notoriety for a campaign during which it encouraged its members to destroy copies of books the organization deemed immoral. Nashi also has strong links to Russia's soccer hooligan scene.
