Deputies have introduced a bill in the State Duma banning the wearing of niqabs and any other clothing that covers the face. Examples cited include the ban on wearing such clothing in Central Asian countries.

Billionaire and former Nagorno-Karabakh state minister Ruben Vardanyan, sentenced in Baku to 20 years in prison, rejected the legal force of the ruling and dropped his appeal. His family explained that this decision stemmed from the fact that, in their view, the trial was a "staged performance" rather than a proper trial: the hearings were held behind closed doors, without access to independent observers, and the prosecution's motions were ignored. The full text of the verdict was also not released.

A group of imprisoned activists and journalists from Baku's Penal Colony No. 2 has appealed to the President of the European Commission. They demand the implementation of European Parliament resolutions calling for the release of Azerbaijani political prisoners.

The Supreme Court of Kazakhstan has suspended the extradition of Chechen activist Mansur Movlayev to Russia. The decision was made pending the consideration of his claim against the denial of refugee status, according to lawyer Murat Adam.

Yulia Melnichenko, a resident of Mozdok, North Ossetia, was detained in Moscow near the Prosecutor General's Office building after holding a solo picket against the persecution of her family. This is the second such incident: in October 2024, she was detained in Vladikavkaz for a similar protest.

The UN Human Rights Committee has suspended the extradition of Chechen native Mansur Movlaev from Kazakhstan to Russia. This was announced by Fatima Suleimanova, press secretary of the Chechen political organization "United Force."

Activists in Moscow have installed a memorial plaque for the 21st time in honor of Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered in 2006. The plaque, which reads, "Anna Politkovskaya lived in this house and was vilely murdered on October 7, 2006," has previously been destroyed by unknown assailants. Activists intend to continue restoring it until it remains in place forever.

In Moscow, activists have restored a memorial plaque for the 20th time on a building associated with Anna Politkovskaya. The original plaque, which had hung for nearly 20 years on the wall of the journalist's home on Lesnaya Street, was first destroyed on January 18. Since then, activists have repeatedly installed temporary plaques, which were quickly destroyed—usually within less than 24 hours.

Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev called the Baku Military Court's verdict against Ruben Vardanyan "restoration of justice and the end of a nearly 30-year conflict."

Teachers in Dagestan are being forced to force parents to install the national MAX messenger, requiring each school to have at least 1,000 subscribers.