The European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, Kaisa Ollongren, expressed concern about the severe restrictions on media freedom in Azerbaijan. During a meeting with Azerbaijani journalists abroad, she learned that independent journalism is virtually impossible within the country.

A Russian court sentenced Armenian citizen Armen Balyan to 12 years in a maximum-security penal colony.

The human rights organization "Freedom for Political Prisoners of Azerbaijan" reported the presence of 392 political prisoners in the country. The published report states that among them are 31 journalists and bloggers, 7 human rights defenders, 39 socio-political activists, 5 representatives of national minorities, 2 opponents of the war, 5 deported political émigrés, 249 believers, and 12 people with life sentences.

Erziman Bayramov, a native of Dagestan who was detained in connection with an incident during namaz in St. Petersburg, has been released from custody. This was announced by Shamil Khadulaev, a member of the Civic Chamber of the Republic of Dagestan, on his Telegram channel. He also noted the active role of the Minister of National Policy of the Republic of Dagestan, Temirlan Abutalimov, in resolving the situation from the very beginning.

A criminal case has been opened against Mansur Gneev, a Muslim blogger from the Krasnodar Krai who was arrested for allegedly criticizing the "Russian Community." A linguistic examination has been ordered based on his statements.

Four residents of Dagestan are being held in a Rostov-on-Don pretrial detention center on terrorism charges. Investigators claim they planned to set fire to a military base in Makhachkala on behalf of the Ukrainian Azov Regiment (banned in Russia), but the defendants deny their guilt and call the case fabricated.

A native of Kabardino-Balkaria, Circassian activist Martin Kochesokov was found guilty by the republic's Baksan District Court of violating the law on "foreign agents." A fine of 3,000 rubles was imposed for failing to submit reports to the Ministry of Justice, as required by law for "foreign agents."

Dagestani MMA fighter Erziman Bayramov has been charged with hooliganism following a conflict with a passerby in the city of Murino in the Leningrad Region.

Russian authorities are ignoring ECHR decisions that came into force before the country's withdrawal from the Council of Europe, refusing to pay compensation to torture victims from Chechnya.

Muslim Aliyev, a Crimean Tatar sentenced to 19 years, is being held in a maximum-security prison (MSC) and is periodically sent to a punishment cell, where he has already spent over 1,140 days. This was reported by his wife.