Report on Human Rights Violations in the Republic of Adygea
September 2025
In September 2025, the Republic of Adygea continued to systematically violate fundamental human rights and freedoms by local and federal authorities, as evidenced by numerous open-source publications. The main violations concerned the rights to freedom of speech and a fair trial. These violations most acutely affect representatives of the republic’s indigenous people, activists of national movements, and independent journalists. The application of criminal law is selective and serves as a tool of political pressure.
Politically motivated criminal prosecution of philologist and journalist Larisa Tuptsokova
Larisa Tuptsokova, journalist, philologist, Circassian language teacher, poet, and translator, announced on her social media page the initiation of a criminal case against her under Article 282.2, Part 2 of the Russian Criminal Code for participation in an extremist organization. A notice of this was sent to her parents’ home address in Maykop.
Notably, at the end of August 2025, the Telegram channel of the “Circassian Media” project noted the appearance of a fake website for the Circassian Cultural Center in Tbilisi, where materials were published under the name of, among others, Larisa Tuptsokova. These publications caused confusion among those familiar with Tuptsokova’s activities, as they created the impression of a deliberate false image. It is noteworthy that after public comments about this website appeared, access to it was blocked. It is important to note that, at that time, Larisa Tuptsokova had not been an employee of the Circassian Cultural Center in Tbilisi since the fall of 2023.
The center was only added to the extremist list by a decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on June 7, 2024, as a “foreign non-governmental non-profit organization,” despite the fact that it is, in fact, a budgetary non-profit organization under the Ministry of Culture of Georgia. During her time at the center, Larisa Tuptsokova’s main activity was literary translations of Georgian poets into Circassian. This included publishing translations of Georgian classics such as Vazha Pshavela and Akaki Tsereteli, as well as contemporary poets such as Amiran Svimonishvili, Dato Magradze, and others. As a result, Tuptsokova became a laureate of various literary awards and was nominated for the state award “Order of Honor” in 2021. Despite the fact that Larisa Tuptsokova has lived outside of Russia for 14 years, her parents’ home was searched.
In this regard, the public of the Republics of Adygea and Kabardino-Balkaria, including human rights activists, community activists, scientists, cultural and artistic figures, and journalists, have appealed to the Head of the Republic of Adygea, M.K. Kumpilov, as well as to the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Adygea, A.A. Kerashev, the Human Rights Commissioner of the Republic of Adygea, M.R. Shchebanets, and the deputies of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation from the Republic of Adygea, M.K.-G. Khapsirokov, A.V. Narolin, V.M. Reznikov, and M.R. Khasanov, requesting that they terminate the criminal prosecution of Larisa Tuptsokova, calling the actions of law enforcement agencies illegal, and requesting assistance in protecting the legal rights and interests of Larisa Tuptsokova and her family.
Nevertheless, despite the absence of a criminal act, since Tuptsokova was not involved in the organization’s activities at the time it was designated as extremist, it is clear that the investigation intends to bring the case to trial by any means necessary.
Deceived equity holders were detained during a picket in Adygea
A group of defrauded equity holders organized a series of solo pickets on September 3, 2025. They were dissatisfied with the statement by the head of the republic, Marat Kumpilov, that there were supposedly no defrauded equity holders in the region. The protesters purchased apartments in the U Mega Housing Cooperative between 2017 and 2019, but the buildings were never completed because the developer went bankrupt. “Kumpilov lied to the President of Russia that there were no defrauded equity holders in Adygea. We are U Mega Housing Cooperative, and we exist!” —this phrase, divided into three parts, appeared on three posters. Police detained three of the picketers for six hours at the police station, threatening to open a criminal case. They were released only after the connections of one of the protesters, whose relatives also work in law enforcement, were brought to bear.
A woman pensioner has been convicted of extremism in Adygea
A 64-year-old pensioner, a resident of the republic’s capital, has been charged with anti-state crimes.
The Maykop resident posted a series of videos on her VKontakte social network account. The videos contained calls to protest the war in Ukraine, disrupt mobilization efforts, and obstruct the work of military commissariats. Furthermore, the woman allegedly published false information about Russian army losses during the armed conflict in Ukraine.
A criminal case was opened and investigated by the Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Republic of Adygea.
The Maykop City Court found the woman guilty of crimes under two articles of the Russian Criminal Code: paragraph “b” of Part 2 of Article 280.4 of the Russian Criminal Code. These are public calls for extremist activity directed against state security. Her actions also fall under paragraph “d” of Part 2 of Article 207.3 of the Russian Criminal Code—dissemination of fake news about the country’s army, the press service of the Federal Security Service (FSB) for the Republic of Adygea reported.
The pensioner was sentenced to five years and one month in a general regime penal colony.
https://flagred.ru/?p=55821
A case of financing a foreign non-governmental organization in Ukraine has been uncovered in Adygea
It has been reported that officers of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Adygea have identified and documented the illegal activity of a 48-year-old resident of Adygea, suspected of financing the activities of a Ukrainian non-governmental organization. It is alleged that the man, a supporter of the foreign organization and reliably informed that it had been declared undesirable in the Russian Federation, transferred funds from his bank account to a bank account used by a representative of the organization.
The Investigative Department of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Adygea has opened criminal cases against the suspect under Part 2 of Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia (financing the activities of a foreign organization). He has been restricted from certain activities.
The defendant faces up to 5 years in prison, the press service of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Armenia clarified.
https://maikop.bezformata.com/listnews/finansirovaniya/150200756
In Adygea, the FSB accused a convicted felon who disagreed with the Russian Federation’s political course and military expansion into Ukraine of justifying terrorism
Officers of the FSB Directorate for the Republic of Adygea have identified and documented the involvement of a 44-year-old Vladivostok native serving a sentence in Federal Penitentiary Institution No. 2 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Republic of Adygea in a crime under Part 1 of Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code (public calls for terrorist activity, public justification of terrorism, or propaganda of terrorism).
According to the department’s staff, while serving his sentence in Correctional Colony No. 2 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Republic of Adygea, he, despite disagreeing with the Russian Federation’s political course and military expansion into Ukraine, publicly justified the attack on the Belgorod Region in the presence of fellow prisoners, and also stated that the ideology of the organizations involved, recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation, was correct.
The Investigative Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia for the Republic of Adygea has opened a criminal case against the defendant under Part 1 of Article 205.2 of the Criminal Code of Russia, the department’s press service clarified.
https://adigeatoday.ru/news/62605.html
An 18-year-old resident of Adygea has been fined for a post on Telegram
The Southern District Military Court (Rostov-on-Don) convicted 18-year-old Adygea resident Valery Shevtsov in a criminal case of publicly justifying terrorist activity, the press service of the Federal Security Service (FSB) for the Republic reported.
According to the department’s staff, the young man, using a Telegram account he managed, posted propaganda videos and statements promoting the activities of a terrorist organization. The criminal case was opened and investigated by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Republic of Adygea. The Southern District Military Court (Rostov-on-Don) found Valery Shevtsov guilty under Part 2 of Article 205.2 of the Russian Criminal Code (public calls to commit terrorist activity, public justification of terrorism, or propaganda of terrorism using the internet).
Taking into account the time spent in pretrial detention, the court sentenced him to a fine of 40,000 rubles and a two-year ban on activities related to website administration.
https://amokr.ru/index.php?newsid=807
“USSR citizens” convicted in Adygea
In early September 2025, a sentence came into force in Maykop against five residents of Adygea, supporters of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which was recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation in 2019 and banned.
On November 15, 2024, the Maykop City Court found the group’s leader, Askarbiy Tazov, guilty under Part 1 of Article 208 of the Criminal Code (organizing an illegal armed group), Part 1 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code (illegal acquisition, transfer, storage, transportation, shipment, or carrying of firearms, their main parts, and ammunition), Part 1 of Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, shipment, or carrying of explosive substances or explosive devices), Part 1 of Article Article 223.1 of the Criminal Code (illegal manufacture of explosives, as well as the illegal manufacture, modification, or repair of explosive devices). Vyacheslav Eroshevich, Gennady Sultanov, Sergei Bruyaka, and Georgy Kovalev were found to be members of an illegal armed group (Part 2 of Article 208) and, depending on their role, under Part 1 of Article 222 and Part 1 of Article 222.1 of the Criminal Code. The group’s leader, Askarbiya Tazov, was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony, a fine of 350,000 rubles, and one year of restricted freedom. Three other defendants were sentenced to nine years in prison and one year of restricted freedom. One of the defendants received eight and a half years and one year of restricted freedom.
According to investigators, in September 2020, 61-year-old Maykop resident Askarbiy Tazov, who denies the legitimacy of the Russian Federation and advocates for the “rebirth of the USSR,” decided to create an armed group to change the constitutional order. He recruited residents of Adygea and other regions to join the group, illegally acquired weapons, ammunition, and explosives, and was involved in manufacturing explosive devices. Four of his accomplices supported the ideology of the illegal group and participated in its activities, including recruiting new members.
The defendants claim that, aside from the idea of reviving the USSR and promoting peace between the peoples of the post-Soviet space, the remaining charges related to weapons possession and preparing a rebellion are baseless. They appealed the verdict, but in July 2025, the Supreme Court of Adygea upheld it.
https://www.sova-center.ru/racism-xenophobia/news/counteraction/2024/11/d52186
Three teenagers, two of whom are minors, have been charged with terrorist attacks
According to investigators, one of the teenagers, along with his acquaintances, allegedly set fire to a cellular base station in the village of Tlyustenkhabl in the Teuchezhsky District of the Republic of Adygea for a monetary reward, and then set fire to a locomotive in Krasnodar. Most of the testimony comes from a secret witness.
They are accused of committing crimes under Part 2 of Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code (terrorist act), Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (involving a person in the commission of a crime), Part 4 of Article 150 of the Russian Criminal Code (involving a minor in the commission of a crime), and Part 1 of Article 174.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (money laundering acquired by a person through the commission of a crime). The criminal case has been sent to court. “Terrorist-related crimes are punishable by up to life imprisonment,” the Investigative Committee of Russia emphasized.
Conclusion.
Thus, an analysis of open sources for September 2025, including media publications, online resources, and statements by private individuals, reveals a persistent negative trend toward violations of human rights and freedoms by the authorities and security forces of the Republic of Adygea, primarily related to ongoing politically motivated repressions, judicial falsifications, infringements on the right to a fair trial, and infringements on the rights to freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
The extremely dangerous trend toward the politicization of the justice system is becoming increasingly evident. Those who are undesirable are dealt with under boilerplate pretexts, their actions and statements being framed as anti-state articles through unfounded interpretations. The Russian authorities’ preventative tactics are targeting thinking segments of the population, a kind of intellectual elite—philologists, activists in national movements, scientists and cultural figures who popularize national traditions and language. These are essentially precedents of an ongoing crime—the Circassian genocide by Russia in its selective aspect.
Vulnerable groups are also increasingly coming under pressure: pensioners, as a demonstration that the system tolerates no exceptions, and prisoners, a priori deprived of immunity from the falsifications of correctional facility staff. Believers of all faiths are also the usual targets of the repressive apparatus, in the face of a government that has somehow usurped the right to theological interpretations. While in this case, we were talking about someone convicted of allegedly holding radical Islamic views, in July of this year, human rights activists recognized Adygeysk believers Alexei Dmitriev and Yuri Sergeechev, accused of extremism for their affiliation with Jehovah’s Witnesses, as political prisoners.
And the most terrifying thing is that since the beginning of the war, more and more children in Russia have been tried for serious offenses: sabotage, terrorism, treason, and justification of terrorism. In the first six months of 2025 alone, at least 42 teenagers were arrested in Russia, accused of terrorism and sabotage. This means that every tenth person convicted of a terrorist attack in Russia is a teenager. In Russia, a child can be tried from the age of 16 and under any article of the Criminal Code. But if he committed a moderate or serious crime, then criminal liability will begin earlier – at age 14. There are articles under which the number of children convicted is only growing, and all of them are linked to the escalating repressions in the country. According to Supreme Court statistics, starting in 2022, every fourth person convicted of sabotage in Russia will be a teenager aged 16 or 17 (under this article, only those aged 16 and older can be prosecuted). In arson cases, political overtones are much more common than in sabotage cases. Teenagers often act out of ideological and anti-war motives – out of protest or solidarity with those affected by mobilization. Such actions are symbolic: the military registration and enlistment office is perceived as the starting point for participation in the war, so an attack on it is a conscious act of resistance. Furthermore, human rights activists believe that some criminal cases involving sabotage against teenagers are provocations by the security services, intended to be demonstrative and intimidating.
Recommendations to authorities.
As the independent Оmbudsman for the Republic of Adygea, I am inclined to recommend that official authorities and law enforcement agencies comply with the Russian Federation’s international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), and other international instruments.