The Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria has legalized the denial of permission for Circassian activists to march.

The Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria upheld the decision of the Nalchik City Court, which found the republic's authorities' refusal to approve a mass march on Adyghe Remembrance Day along Nalchik's main street to be lawful and justified.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," at least eight people were detained in Nalchik following a march with Circassian flags on May 21st, timed to coincide with the 161st anniversary of the end of the Caucasian War. They received three to ten days of administrative arrest for participating in an unauthorized rally and obstructing traffic. The only woman among the eight detainees, Marina Kalmykova, was released after three days of arrest on May 25th. Khusein Gugov, Zuber Euaz, Timur Nakhushev, Kazbek Mamikov, and Bashir Erokov were released on May 27, while Idar Tsipinov and Beslan Gedgafov remained in custody. Timur Nakhushev and Zuber Euaz appealed the Nalchik City Court's decisions, and the court reduced their detention by one day. In June, the Minister of Nationalities of Kabardino-Balkaria stated that the detention of participants in the Nalchik march should be decided in court.

The Supreme Court of Kabardino-Balkaria today ruled on the complaint of an activist who demanded that the authorities' refusal to approve a march on Lenin Avenue in Nalchik on May 21, dedicated to Adyghe Remembrance Day, be declared illegal. The lawsuit was filed by local resident Alik Shashev, who was the applicant for the march, and the defendant was the Ministry of Nationalities and Public Projects of Kabardino-Balkaria.

Shashev stated that on May 7, 2025, he submitted a notice to the ministry requesting a march, but received a notice of refusal the day before the planned event. The refusal was based on the fact that "the requirement of the Kabardino-Balkarian Law 'On Holding Public Events...' that notification be submitted by the organizer in person upon presentation of a passport or other identification document was not met."

The Ministry also cited the threat of drone attacks in justifying its decision not to hold public events involving large numbers of citizens. Shashev disputed the grounds for the refusal: he submitted the notification, presenting his passport to an employee of the Department for Handling Citizens' and Organizations' Appeals of the Head of Kabardino-Balkaria's Administration. His identity was verified, after which his letter was accepted and registered, as confirmed by a stamp and seal on the notification.

Shashev refuted the argument about the threat of drone attacks in his lawsuit by stating that a memorial rally was held that same day near the Tree of Life monument, which attracted many more people than planned to participate in the march. Moreover, the republic's leadership was present at the rally.

The activist noted that the denial of permission to hold the march had negative consequences: people gathered for it in the morning unaware of the denial, as he had failed to inform them in time. As a result, the group of activists leading the march were detained and spent several days in a pretrial detention center. Alik Shashev stated that the denial of permission to hold the march violated his constitutional right to freedom of expression and the freedom to hold rallies, marches, and pickets.

The plaintiff asked the court to declare the denial unlawful. A ministry representative reiterated the position stated in the denial and asked the court to dismiss the claim. The Nalchik City Court, which initially heard the claim on July 7, concluded that the plaintiff's rights had not been violated and dismissed his claims. "The applicant was invited to participate in a memorial service at the Tree of Life monument on May 21, 2025; therefore, the administrative plaintiff's rights were not violated by the denial of his application. He had the opportunity to participate in the events held on that day. (...) The administrative plaintiff's argument that he presented his passport to an authorized person is not supported," the court ruling states. This decision, which Shakhov appealed, was upheld by the Supreme Court of the Republic today.

Attitudes toward the memory of the Caucasian War remain highly politicized, with authorities increasingly returning to imperial interpretations of events, ignoring its key lessons: attempts at forced unification and the destruction of local self-government systems are deepening contradictions and conflicts, historians previously interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" noted.

Materials on the situation of Circassians in Russia and abroad are published by the "Caucasian Knot" on the thematic page "The Circassian Question".