Russia’s Investigative Committee released Eksmo CEO Yevgeny Kapyev and three other senior executives at the publishing house on April 23, after they had been detained in connection with a criminal “extremism” case over the sale of queer literature. The state-run Russian news agency TASS first reported their release, citing law enforcement.
Eksmo told the Russian business news outlet RBC that the executives had been released without charges and that their procedural status had not been determined.
A source who spoke to TASS said the executives would be required to return for questioning on April 24.
Eksmo’s top managers — including CEO Yevgeny Kapyev and deputy editor-in-chief for literature Yulia Sokolskaya — were detained for questioning on April 21. The state-run Russian news agency TASS reported that employees of Popcorn Books and Individuum — detained in 2025 in connection with the sale of queer literature — had given testimony against them. The Russian federal investigating authority had planned to seek a court ruling on pretrial restrictions for the Eksmo executives but did not do so.
The criminal “extremism” case over queer literature was opened in 2025 against employees of the publishing houses Popcorn Books and Individuum. Several people were placed under house arrest. Popcorn Books announced it was closing in early 2026.
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