Australia’s High Court dismisses Russia’s bid for injunction to halt its embassy’s eviction

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s highest court has dismissed Russia’s application for an injunction that would have halted the eviction of its embassy from a site in the capital, Canberra. The judge said Russia’s challenge of a law terminating the lease was weak. Parliament passed emergency legislation on June 15 that terminated Russia’s lease on security grounds because the new embassy would have been too close to Parliament House. A lawyer arguing Russia’s case said a man who has been living on the site in a portable cabin since at least last week was a security guard. The man left the site soon after the court ruling in a car with diplomatic license plates.