Representatives of the North Caucasus diaspora in Turkey have protested the criminal prosecution of Larisa Tuptsokova, a Circassian activist from Adygea, and demanded that the republic's authorities cease pressuring her and her supporters.
Tuptsokova's inclusion on the Rosfinmonitoring registry of extremists and terrorists, despite the investigation being underway, has sparked outrage among the diaspora, who consider the case "illegal, arbitrary, and politically motivated." The authors of the appeal emphasize that Tuptsokova is a respected scholar who has dedicated her life to preserving Circassian culture, and that the criminal case against her has no legal basis. The diaspora also condemns the searches and the psychological pressure on the activist's family.
Larisa Tuptsokova, who previously resided in Georgia, reported that a criminal case had been opened against her in Russia for participation in an extremist organization. The Circassian Cultural Center in Tbilisi has been recognized as such. However, the activist ceased collaborating with the center before it was declared extremist. The signatories of the appeal note that Tuptsokova's primary focus for the organization was literary translations and publications in the Circassian language.
