Tumso Abdurakhmanov* accused of violating rules of foreign agent activity
In Grozny, a court has begun considering an administrative case against blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov*, who is accused under the article on violating the rules and regulations of foreign agent activity. The blogger, who lives abroad, reports that he intends to ignore the charges against him and the trial.
The administrative case against Tumso Abdurakhmanov has been received by the Akhmatovsky District Court of Grozny. According to the case file posted on the court’s website, Tumso Abdurakhmanov* is accused under Part 1 of Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (violation of the rules and regulation of foreign agent activity), which provides for a fine of 30,000 to 50,000 roubles for citizens.
The proceedings in the administrative began on April 11. Judge Taisa Ibragimova accepted the case materials for consideration, and a preparatory court hearing was scheduled for April 14. On April 28, the hearing was postponed, because “the participant whose presence was recognized as mandatory failed to appear in court.” The other hearing was scheduled for May 12. As of 6:40 p.m. Moscow time on May 14, no information about the results of the court hearing has been published in the case card, as well as no information about the date of the next court hearing scheduled.
Tumso Abdurakhmanov* himself told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent that he had not received any official notification about the administrative case against him. “I have no idea. No one has notified me of anything. I can only assume that this will most likely be related to the sign that foreign agents are required to put when publishing their posts or videos, which I do not do and do not intend to do,” the blogger said.
I do not intend to react in any way and will not participate in trial
Blogger Tumso Abdurakhmanov* has emphasized that he does not intend to participate in the trial, challenge his status of a foreign agent, or react in any way to what is happening, since “it does not affect him in any way.”
Part 1 of Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation provides for punishment for “carrying out activities as a foreign agent by a person not included in the register of foreign agents.”
Part 1 of Article 19.34 applies to individuals whom the Russian Ministry of Justice adds to the register of foreign agents on its own initiative, explains media lawyer Galina Arapova*. “It’s been about a year since they started applying Part 1 of Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses to foreign agents whom the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) forcibly includes in its register,” media lawyer Galina Arapova* told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
According to the lawyer’s suggestion, the violation is that the person allegedly had to “guess” that his or her activities contain signs of "”foreign agent” activity and voluntarily declare that fact to the state.
Person has to somehow understand for himself or herself that life he or she leads falls under activities of foreign agent
“Formally, Part 1 of Article 19.34 means that a person has to somehow understand for himself or herself that the life he or she leads, how he or she speaks, what he or she does, falls under the activities of a foreign agent, and he or she has to come to the authorities and declare himself or herself, voluntarily register as a foreign agent. However, since the blogger did not do the above and the Ministry of Justice was the first with the initiative to include him in the register, then here is the fine under Part 1 of Article 19.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses: for not including himself into the register. In exactly the same way, all this time, starting from 2012, NGOs were being fined for not being included in the register [of foreign agents] by themselves,” media lawyer Galina Arapova* stated.
Postponement of court hearing is a procedural formality
According to the lawyer’s version, the postponement of the court hearing is a routine procedural formality. “Simply because the previous procedural rules are still in effect, providing that a person brought to administrative responsibility must be properly notified of the consideration of the case by court, and if there is no evidence of the above notification, the court postpones the hearing for proper notification,” media lawyer Galina Arapova* explained.
The lawyer has also noted that the changes have already been made to the legislation, allowing courts to consider cases without proper notification of citizens if it concerns persons living abroad. “The authorities have simplified their task, reducing the burden on the courts and speeding up the process of bringing citizens to justice,” media lawyer Galina Arapova* concluded.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 14, 2025 at 06:41 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.
**On March 21, 2022, the Tverskoi Court of Moscow banned the activities in Russia of the Meta Company, owning the Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, in connection with extremist activities.