2024-01-17 16:57:16
Demonstrations of this scale are rare in Russia. But after the conviction of activist Fail Alsynov, several thousand expressed their displeasure.
Around 3,000 people reportedly protested against the sentencing of an environmental activist in Russia’s Bashkortostan region. Video footage shows a large crowd in front of the courthouse in Baimak.
Emergency services tried to push back the demonstrators, sometimes using violence. As a result, some demonstrators also gave vent to their anger.
The environmental activist Fail Alsynow campaigned against the mining of limestone in the region. The 37-year-old also fought for greater autonomy for the Bashkortostan region as well as its culture and language. His organization Bashkort was banned by authorities in 2020.
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The conviction of an environmental activist sparked strong protests in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan. According to independent media reports, around 3,000 people gathered in front of the courthouse. Observers speak of one of the largest protests in Russia since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine.
Fail Alsynow was sentenced to four years in prison for allegedly making racist comments. The regional chief, Radij Khabirov, had secured the trial against Alsynov, who led the protests against limestone mining for a soda factory in the region. The activist announced that he would appeal and thanked the demonstrators for their support.
Videos show security forces on site pushing people away and attacking them.
Tear gas is also said to have been used.
Other images show demonstrators throwing snowballs and ice at the emergency services.
According to media reports, 15 people were injured in the clashes and several people were arrested.
Such large protests are rare in Russia because the authorities usually take rigorous action against them. Thousands of people have been arrested in the past two years because they publicly opposed the war in Ukraine.
At the end of 2022, the activist Alsynov had already been sentenced to a fine because he had described the war of aggression online as a “genocide of the Bashkir people” and criticized the invasion. According to media reports, losses in the Ukraine war in this region west of the Urals are above average.
You can see the images of one of the largest protests since the beginning of the war, how the emergency services responded, and the connection to the war in Ukraine here or in the video above.
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