Authorities move jailed activist from Bashkortostan to prevent more protests

23.01.2024, 16:23 exclusive.kz

Russian authorities have moved a rights activist, whose sentencing triggered protests, from his native Bashkortostan to a detention centre in Chelyabinsk Region, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Fail Alsynov was sentenced on 17 January to four years in a penal colony on charges of inciting ethnic hatred by allegedly insulting Central Asian migrants by calling them ‘black people’.

The Baymak district court ordered Alsynov’s transfer to Magnitogorsk, following his sentencing, “in connection with the emergency situation” that has arisen around the case, according to a copy of the ruling posted by the lawyer Ilnur Suyundukov on his Telegram channel.

Thousands of Baymak residents protested Alsynov’s jailing, with the rally escalating into clashes with riot police. The police suppressed the protests using tear gas and batons – dozens were injured.

Alsynov was accused of insulting labour migrants, most of whom come from Central Asia, at a demonstration against plans to mine for gold by calling them ‘black people’.

Russians use the word ‘black’ as a derogatory term for Central Asians and Caucasians. In Turkic languages, to which the Bashkir language belongs, ‘black’ is used to describe ordinary, or ‘real’ people. It carries no offensive or derogatory connotation.

Alsynov’s supporters say his prosecution is revenge for his activism in preventing soda mining in a place that the Bashkirs consider sacred.

Alsynov is also known for criticising the Russian government’s mobilisation of Bashkirs for the war in Ukraine as «genocide».

He also led the Bashkort movement that fought to preserve the Bashkirs’ ethnic identity before it was banned as extremist in 2020.

Pro-government media outlets have portrayed the protests in support of Alsynov as part of a Ukrainian-Western plot to stir up ethnic discord in Russia.

Authorities opened investigations against a total of 31 people on charges of participation in mass riots. Two activists have been jailed so far.

Yuldash Timerbayev, who runs Alga Bashkortostan Telegram channel has been jailed for nine days for calling on the public through his channel to join the protests in support of Alsynov.

On Monday, a court in Bashkortostan’s capital, Ufa sentenced activist Ilyas Bayguskarov to seven days in jail for breaching public protest rules. He will face another trial for participating in mass riots.

Also on Monday, authorities in Baymak District’s Ishmurzino village searched the home of an environmental activist and associate of Alsynov’s, Rashida Fayzullina, reports said.