Those convicted in the extremism case in Cherkessk considered the mitigation of their sentences insufficient.

An appeal court reduced the sentences of those charged with extremism in the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic.

THIS MATERIAL (INFORMATION) WAS PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED BY THE FOREIGN AGENT MEMO LLC, OR CONCERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FOREIGN AGENT MEMO LLC.

The Supreme Court of Karachay-Cherkessia reduced the sentence handed down by the Cherkessk City Court in the July 2025 extremist community case, but did not overturn the guilty verdict entirely. Aslan Naptugov, convicted in this case, stated that he considers the ruling only a partial success and intends to seek a full acquittal on appeal. As reported by the Caucasian Knot, in February 2023, the Cherkessk City Court extended the pretrial detention of Aslan Naptugov, Vladimir Ilychev, Abdulmalik Shoev, and Oleko Kuzhev from Cherkessk, accused of participating in an extremist group, as well as Adnan Meremshaov, who was also charged with illegal trafficking of explosives. The investigation failed to present any evidence of the defendants' guilt, their lawyer stated. The case was submitted to the court on August 15, 2023. In August 2024, Naptugov himself called his case political persecution. On July 14, the Cherkessk City Court issued a verdict in the case.

Aslan Naptugov, a man convicted in the case of an extremist community in Karachay-Cherkessia, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the appellate court of the republic's Supreme Court had mitigated the sentence of the Cherkessk City Court of July 14, 2025, but the guilty verdict was not fully overturned.

"Today [February 4] an appeal hearing was held in the Supreme Court of Karachay-Cherkessia regarding the sentence of the Cherkessk City Court of July 14, 2025. The decision has already been made – the sentence has been mitigated. Nothing has changed for me; I have already served my sentence, and those who received longer sentences had theirs reduced by about a year and a half. They have about six months left, and they should be released." "This is a great achievement for us; this is what we fought for," Naptugov said.

According to him, the defense insisted throughout the trial that the defendants were innocent and that there was no crime.

"The defense's position was always the same: there was no crime, no victims, no survivors, no witnesses. In the absence of all these elements, a criminal case should not have been opened, but it was. "Furthermore, numerous procedural violations were committed during the investigation and trial, which we have constantly reported," he noted.

Commenting on the court's decision, Naptugov stated that he considers it only partially satisfactory and intends to seek a full acquittal.

"We will appeal further, to the cassation court, because we want a full acquittal and the dismissal of all charges. As of today, the decision has only partially satisfied us—the sentences have been mitigated, and the men will be able to be released soon. This is very important to us. We are only partially satisfied legally, and morally as well. The court formally mitigated the sentence, but was unable to overturn it completely," he said.

Naptugov also spoke about the sentencing of the other defendants in the case.

"Oleko Kuzhev was convicted as an organizer under the first part of the article on extremist community." He was also charged with illegal possession of an explosive substance—hunting powder, which was legally stored. Ultimately, he was sentenced to eight years for all three charges, but the appellate court reduced his sentence to six years and one month," he said.

According to Naptugov, the leniency also affected other convicted individuals.

"Adnan Meremshaov was convicted on two charges combined—participation in an extremist group and illegal trafficking of explosives. His sentence was reduced from six years and six months to six years and one month." "Vladimir Ilyichev and Abdulmalik Shoev, who were previously sentenced to five years, had their sentences reduced to three years and six months, and they are expected to be released soon, taking into account the time spent in custody," he said.

Completely overturning the sentence would mean acknowledging the illegality of the criminal case, which would have serious consequences.

Speaking about the reasons for the reduced sentence, Naptugov expressed the opinion that the court could not completely overturn the guilty verdict.

"Completely overturning the sentence would mean acknowledging the illegality of the criminal case, which would have serious consequences—investigations and the accountability of officials." Therefore, in my opinion, the court limited itself to mitigating the sentence," he said.

We are seeking a full acquittal. A mitigated sentence is important because these people will soon be released, but the fight doesn't end there.

At the same time, Naptugov emphasized that he considers the case politically motivated and intends to continue the appeal.

"We are seeking a full acquittal. A mitigated sentence is important because these people will soon be released, but the fight doesn't end there," he said.

Sometimes such decisions are made when the court is not prepared to completely overturn the guilty verdict, but considers the sentence imposed excessive.

A mitigated sentence by an appellate court does not in itself automatically indicate that the court has recognized the case as fabricated, but it may indicate doubts about the validity of the court's findings. "The first instance," Mickey Arapiev, a lawyer with the Moscow Bar Association who is not involved in this case, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent in a comment.

"In Russian judicial practice, mitigating a sentence on appeal is a fairly common occurrence, and formally it does not mean that the court has found the case to be fabricated. Such a conclusion requires a direct indication of the inadmissibility of evidence, the absence of an event or elements of a crime, or the overturning of the sentence and the dismissal of the case. In this case, this did not happen. At the same time, when the appellate court significantly reduces the sentence, this often indicates that the court of appeal saw certain problems - either in the evidence base, or in the qualifications, or in the assessment of the roles of individual defendants. Sometimes such decisions are made when the court is not ready to completely overturn the guilty verdict, but considers the imposed punishment excessive," Arapiev said.

He also noted that "in Russian practice, there are also frequent situations where the appeal adjusts the sentence without affecting the very fact of guilt, based on the principle of procedural stability of judicial acts."

The extremism case has been dragging on since 2022

The case of an extremist community in Karachay-Cherkessia, in which Aslan Naptugov, Oleko Kuzhev, and other defendants were convicted, has been under investigation since 2022 and throughout the trial has been accompanied by statements from the defense about the political motivation of the prosecution and the lack of evidence.

Aslan Naptugov was detained on May 24, 2022. Initially, he served six days of arrest under an administrative article, but after his release, he was detained again and then arrested as part of the criminal case. The investigation charged him with participating in an extremist community. The preventive measure in the form of detention was extended several times. Oleko Kuzhev, Vladimir Ilyichev, Adnan Meremshaov, Abdulmalik Shoev, Larisa Yakusheva, Oleg Bondarenko, Olga Primak, Yulia Kambieva, Svetlana Darova, and Anita Tukova.

According to investigators, from 2019 to 2020, an extremist group based on the ideology of the banned organization "Union of Slavic Forces of Russia" was created in the republic. Law enforcement agencies claimed that the group aimed to violently change the constitutional order and undermine the activities of state institutions. The investigation alleged that the defendants disseminated materials about the "existence of the USSR," denied the legitimacy of the Russian authorities, and created unregistered structures, including the MOPOS "Solidarity" branch, the "Council of People's Deputies," and other organizations.

The defendants in the case and their defense insisted that they were engaged in public and human rights activities, assisting residents of the republic with housing and communal services, loans, and social services. disputes, and the criminal prosecution was called politically motivated. The defense claimed a lack of a crime, victims, or evidence, as well as numerous procedural violations.

The case was filed with the Cherkessk City Court on August 15, 2023. During the trial, according to the defense, motions to exclude evidence and record hearings were denied, and the prosecution, according to the lawyers, was unable to clearly formulate the essence of the claims for a long time. Naptugov himself stated in his statements that he considers the case politically motivated and insisted on the absence of corpus delicti.

On July 14, 2025, the Cherkessk City Court sentenced nine defendants. Five were given prison terms ranging from five to eight years, and four others received suspended sentences. The court found that the defendants "created, led, and participated in an extremist community" and cited "personal gain" as their motive for refusing to pay loans, taxes, and utility bills. None of the defendants pleaded guilty. All convicted defendants were given additional penalties, including a ban on public activity and restrictions on freedom.

After the verdict, the defendants continued to insist it was illegal. Naptugov publicly stated that the criminal prosecution was politically motivated, while the defense pointed to a lack of evidence of extremist activity and insisted on acquittal.

In comments transmitted to a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent at various points during the trial, Naptugov stated that, in his opinion, the charges were not properly formulated and that the case itself was based on assumptions. He also pointed to pressure during the trial and claimed to be seeking a full acquittal.

We have updated the apps at Android and IOS! We would be grateful for criticism and development ideas both in Google Play/App Store and on KU pages in social networks. Without installing a VPN, you can read us in Telegram (in Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia - with a VPN). Through a VPN, you can continue reading the "Caucasian Knot" on the website as usual, and on social networks: Facebook**, Instagram**, "VKontakte", "Odnoklassniki" and X. You can watch the "Caucasian Knot" video on YouTube. Send messages on WhatsApp** to +49 157 72317856, on Telegram to the same number, or write to @Caucasian_Knot.

* The interregional public association "Union of Slavic Forces of Rus'" was recognized as an extremist organization in August 2019, a decision made by the Supreme Court of Komi.

** The activities of Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) are banned in Russia.