Signatories of the petition in defense of Larisa Tuptsokova faced pressure

Security officials are calling signatories of an appeal to the head of Adygea in defense of Circassian activist Larsa Tuptsokova, who live in Kabardino-Balkaria, demanding they appear for an interview. Human rights activists have called these actions illegal.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," journalist and Circassian activist Larisa Tuptsokova reported in October that security officials conducted searches of her parents' home in Adygea and interrogated her relatives in an extremism case. Around 30 human rights defenders and activists from Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, and the Krasnodar Territory appealed to Murat Kumpilov to demand that the criminal prosecution of Larisa Tuptsokova be dropped due to the absence of a crime. The signatories of the appeal in her defense noted Tuptsokova's significant contribution to the preservation of her native language and pointed out that the case against her could become a precedent for the prosecution of other people who have ever collaborated with the cultural center in Tbilisi.

Activists from Kabardino-Balkaria who signed a petition in defense of Larisa Tuptsokova have faced pressure, the Kabardino-Balkaria Human Rights Center reported today. "The callers introduced themselves as employees of the Kabardino-Balkarian Ministry of Internal Affairs, who persistently invited the signatories to appear at the department to 'give an explanation' regarding their position regarding the appeal. However, some were not given specific reasons for the summons and were insisted to appear 'as soon as possible.' Many refused to appear to give an explanation without being served a subpoena. According to the information received, during the conversations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs employees asked questions about their acquaintance with Larisa Tuptsokova, their knowledge of her activities in an extremist organization, their reasons for signing the appeal, and the persons who had suggested doing so. They also obtained the contact numbers of other signatories," the report states.

The actions of the security forces "should be regarded as another attempt to hinder legitimate public activity and exert psychological pressure," the report states.

"In accordance with Article 33 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to personally appeal, as well as send individual and collective appeals to state bodies and local government bodies. According to Article Article 6 of Federal Law No. 59-FZ of May 2, 2006, "On the Procedure for Considering Appeals from Citizens of the Russian Federation" establishes a number of guarantees for the security of citizens in connection with their appeals, including "prohibition of persecution of citizens in connection with their appeal to a state body, local government body, or official criticizing the activities of the said bodies or officials, or for the purpose of restoring or protecting their rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests, or the rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests of others," the Human Rights Center stated.

Human rights activists noted that although the appeal was signed by activists and public figures from various regions where Circassians live, cases of pressure have only been reported in Kabardino-Balkaria.

It should be recalled that in November 2023, human rights defenders and activists who spoke out in support of the Institute for Humanitarian Studies were also called security forces to explain the spread of slander.

In November 2022, human rights activists in Kabardino-Balkaria called on the head of the republic, Kazbek Kokov, to prevent the persecution of scientists from the Institute of Humanitarian Research of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who are trying to recreate the true history and defend the native languages of the peoples of the North Caucasus. Local activists, scientists, teachers, and artists, as well as the Circassian diaspora in Turkey, spoke out in defense of the institute. In response to the appeal, the Ministry of Education of the republic called the information about the persecution of KBIGI employees unreliable. In January, security forces returned the items confiscated during the searches to the scientists, but did not provide an explanation for the reasons for the searches.

For example, Shormanov, one of the signatories of the petition in defense of the scientists, reported on December 14 that security forces demanded he appear to provide an explanation regarding his appeal to Kazbek Kokov regarding pressure on activists. When Shormanov refused, the security officer said he would be "dragged in by subpoena," according to Shormanov's appeal to the republic's prosecutor. Valery Khatazhukov, head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Human Rights Center, appealed to the republic's prosecutor to protect the activists from pressure from law enforcement agencies. The authors of the petition in defense of the scientists said they sent it to the head and government of Kabardino-Balkaria, the republic's Investigative Committee, and the prosecutor's office, but received no response. Reports of pressure from security forces were also ignored. Lawyers called the summons of the petition's signatories to appear for questioning unlawful.