Six residents of Karachay-Cherkessia have been convicted in connection with an extremist organization.

A court in Karachay-Cherkessia announced the verdict against six residents of the republic accused of involvement in At-Takfir wal-Hijra*. The court's press service reported that they were convicted as members of AUE*.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," in May 2024, a court in Cherkesskordered pretrial detention of six residents of Karachay-Cherkessia suspected of organizing and participating in the extremist organization At-Takfir wal-Hijra* (Parts 1 and 2 of Article 282.2 of the Russian Criminal Code). "At-Takfir wal-Hijra"* is unpopular among residents of the North Caucasus and has not claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks in Russia, analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" indicated at the time. In May 2025, their case was transferred to court. The prosecution named Khasin Kabardayev, a resident of the Adyge-Khabl district, as the organizer of the extremist cell, and the other five defendants as its members.

The Adyge-Khabl District Court in Karachay-Cherkessia sentenced six local residents, finding them members of the extremist organization AUE*, the United Press Service of the Republic's Courts reported on October 28.

Five defendants accepted the charges and pleaded guilty. The defendant, whom investigators and the court deemed the organizer of an extremist cell, was sentenced to six years and three months in prison, a two-year ban on participating in public and religious organizations, and one year of restricted freedom, according to a statement on the official Telegram channel.

The remaining five defendants received sentences ranging from two years and eight months to three years and two months, and all were given an additional six months of restricted freedom. All six defendants must serve their sentences in a general regime penal colony.

The court's press service statement provided only the initials of the defendants; they correspond to the names of those accused in the At Takfir wal-Hijra* case. According to the case file on the court's website, the verdict in this case was announced on October 27, and all six were found guilty.

The United Press Service of the Courts' publication about the verdict provides a link to a previous statement about the case, distributed in May, when the materials had just been received by the court. At that time, the press service also reported that the defendants were accused of involvement in At Takfir wal-Hijra*; The agency did not provide an explanation as to why a completely different organization (AUE*) was mentioned in the publication about the verdict.

* The organization has been recognized as extremist, and its activities have been banned in Russia by the court.

** Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.