The Case of Tumanova in Nizhniy Novgorod

Case History

In February 2026, elderly Larisa Tumanova, a wheelchair user from the Nizhegorod Region, was searched and charged with participating in the activities of an extremist organization. For three years before the initiation of the criminal case, operatives kept records of her telephone conversations. A recognizance agreement was taken from Tumanova. In April, she was included in the Rosfinmonitoring list, and in May the case went to court.

Filter
  • #

    Senior Investigator of the Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Aleksandr Busarov, initiated the criminal prosecution of a wheelchair user — 86-year-old Larisa Tumanova. The reason for initiating the case for participating in the activity of an extremist organization was her telephone conversations, which have been monitored since 2023.

  • #

    A search of Larisa Tumanova's home is being conducted; law enforcement officers seize three tablets. That same day, charges are brought against the woman and she is made to sign a recognizance agreement.

  • #

    The case is going to the Kstovo City Court of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Judge Viktoriya Prokofyeva will preside over the hearing.

  • #

    Armed bailiffs arrive for Larisa Tumanova to take her to the hearing. Seeing that she uses a wheelchair, they help load her into the vehicle, and friends drive the believer to court.

    Because she is feeling unwell, she responds to the judge's questions only with a nod — even after being instructed to speak audibly for the record. Her lawyer reads her motion aloud.

    A religious expert speaks and provides the court with definitions of words from Tumanova's phone conversations — including expressions such as "let's have some tea" and "let's take a walk."

Back to top