Criminal case forces journalist Alipat Sultanbegova to leave Russia

Alipat Sultanbegova, a Krasnodar journalist, has left Russia after she received a notification that a criminal case had been opened against her for discrediting Russian militaries.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 29, 2023, it became known about the detention of Alipat Sultanbegova. She was detained on April 26 by law enforcers because of her posting a pacifist slogan in a social network.

The reason for drawing up a protocol against her was in her placing a photo of a girl with a pacifist drawing in her hands in the Instagram* the "Sota.Vision" outlet reports.

On May 18, Sultanbegova found in her mailbox a congratulation letter on the Victory Day, as well as a notification about the initiation of a criminal case under the article "Public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the Russian Armed Forces", which provides for up to five years in prison.

"[Sultanbegova] having a criminal intent aimed at discrediting the actions of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, while being ... at the bust of the Russian poet of Ukrainian origin Shevchenko, Taras Grigorievich <...>, and by realizing the criminal nature and social danger of her actions, deliberately laid flowers at the indicated monument and placed signs near it," the Telegram channel has quoted the court ruling.

One of the signs contained inscriptions criticizing the special military operation (SMO); the second one listed the cities, including those located in the territories earlier incorporated into Russian regions.