Russian authorities open criminal case against Circassian journalist Larisa Tuptsokova
Circassian journalist and activist Larisa Tuptsokova, who has been living in Georgia for more than 14 years, has stated that a criminal case has been opened against her in absentia in Russia for ‘participation in an extremist organisation’.
According to her, the notice was sent to the home address of her parents in Maikop, the capital of Adygea. Tuptsokova clarified that she herself had not been informed of either the charges or the case materials, and that she had not found such information in open sources.
‘My work has always been transparent and lawful. Unfortunately, it is difficult to speak of law where criminal cases are opened merely for openly expressing one’s own opinion’, Tuptsokova wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
Tuptsokova believes the prosecution is connected with her activities and publications, including the project Circassian Media, which covers news from the Circassian diaspora, as well as Circassian linguistic and cultural issues. In August 2025, according to her, in a segment of the State Television and Broadcast Company (GTRK) Adygea, the Circassian issue was described as ‘so-called’, and a fake website of attributed to the Circassian Cultural Centre in Tbilisi was discovered, publishing materials allegedly on behalf of her and other authors. At first, Tuptsokova reacted to these events with sarcasm.
‘On the “fake website”, besides publications under my name, there is also an advertisement for my training course. However, it is mistakenly claimed that offline classes would resume from 25 July. For several years this has been my main activity, and the author’s course has never been interrupted, but unfortunately only in online format,’ she joked on her page.
Tuptsokova is a journalist, philologist, and teacher of the Circassian language, who has been based in Tbilisi for the past 14 years.
The article under which a criminal case has been initiated against her is frequently used in Russia against journalists, activists, and critics of the authorities. According to human rights organisations, charges under this article are often brought without sufficient public evidence. In a number of cases, courts have sentenced people to lengthy prison terms for publications and reposts of materials deemed ‘extremist’.
Elizaveta Chukharova
