Abdullaev Ruslan Magomedovich

On March 12, 2022, a search was conducted at the office of the “Makhachkala Executive Committee of the DASSR” in Makhachkala. Several people were detained. On March 14, 2024, the Soviet District Court of Makhachkala remanded four individuals into custody: Zainulla Abdullaev, Tatyana Fomina, Ruslan Abdullaev, and Sharap Davudov.

The Makhachkala residents were charged with leading and participating in the activities of the extremist organization “Citizens of the USSR.” According to investigators, they recruited new members into the activities of the MOO “USSR” in Dagestan, organized meetings of its members, and gave lectures on the group’s ideology—which is expressed in the denial of the dissolution of the USSR as a state, the denial of the constitutional order of the modern Russian Federation, and the obstruction of the lawful activities of state bodies.

According to investigators, from December 1, 2019, to October 23, 2020, Fomina and Abdullaev participated in the activities of the executive committee “Makhachkala City Council of People’s Deputies of the Dagestan ASSR as part of the RSFSR/USSR”—a structural unit of the banned extremist organization “USSR.”

In addition, from October 23, 2020, to March 12, 2022, the defendants, together with Larisa Bochieva, organized the activities of the executive committee of the aforementioned organization.

Later, another defendant appeared in the case—Mahmud Ibadulaev; the details of the case against him are unknown.

On April 12, 2023, the Kirov District Court of Makhachkala found Tatyana Fomina guilty and sentenced her to 3.5 years of imprisonment, suspended for a probationary period of 3 years. She was also barred for 3.5 years from engaging in activities related to leading or participating in the work of public organizations, and was given an additional sentence of 1 year and 3 months of restricted freedom. The verdict was not appealed and became final.

On April 12, 2023, the Kirov District Court of Makhachkala found Zainulla Abdullaev guilty and sentenced him to 3.5 years of imprisonment, suspended for a 3-year probationary period. He was also barred from participating in activities of public organizations for 3 years and sentenced to restricted freedom for a term of 1 year and 3 months. Once the verdict took effect, the pretrial measure of house arrest was revoked. The verdict was not appealed and became final.

On May 12, 2023, the Kirovsky District Court of Makhachkala found Sharab Davudov guilty and sentenced him to two years of suspended imprisonment. The verdict was not appealed and became final.

On September 7, 2023, the Kirovsky District Court of Makhachkala found Ruslan Abdullaev guilty and sentenced him to 2 years and 2 months of imprisonment in a general-regime correctional facility. Taking into account the time he had already spent in pretrial detention, the man was released from serving his sentence due to having effectively already served it.

On November 30, 2023, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Dagestan reviewed the prosecutor’s appeal and additionally imposed a mandatory sentence of 6 months of restricted freedom on the convicted man: The man was prohibited from changing his place of residence or leaving his municipal district without the consent of government authorities, and was also required to report for registration twice a month.

On September 13, 2024, Larisa Bochieva failed to appear at the Kirovsky District Court of Makhachkala for the hearing on the merits of the case because she was hospitalized. She notified the court of this on the same day, before the hearing began. Despite this, the judge ruled that Bochieva had absconded and ordered her to be taken into custody.

On September 20, she attempted to fly to Moscow for two days on urgent business, but was detained at the airport and sent to Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 in Makhachkala.

On October 4, 2024, the Supreme Court of Dagestan overturned the decision to extend Larisa Bochieva’s detention, and she was released from custody.