Clashes broke out this Wednesday, January 17, between thousands of demonstrators and the police in a small town in the Urals after the conviction of a regional opponent, a rare event in Russia in a context of all-out repression.
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Some 6,000 people gathered in front of the court in Baimak, in the republic of Bashkortostan, where activist Fail Alsynov was on trial. Videos relayed on social networks show a crowd of warmly dressed people throwing snowballs in -20°C weather at police officers with shields and others chanting: “ Shame ! “. Other images show demonstrators coughing heavily and wiping their eyes after the use of tear gas by the police in this town of some 17,000 inhabitants located not far from Kazakhstan.
The demonstrators were dispersed with tear gas while around twenty people were arrested, according to the specialized NGO OVD-Info, classified as a “foreign agent” by the Russian state. The Investigative Committee of Russia reported injuries, including police officers, and announced the opening of an investigation for organizing “mass riots” and violence against the police, crimes punishable by heavy prison sentences.
Protesters now face up to 15 years in prison if charged with participating in a “ riot » is retained. According to OVD-Info, which documents protests and arrests in Russia and helps opponents, “ dozens of people were injured » and mobile Internet access is “ almost » totally cut on the spot.
The protesters in #Bashkortostan face up to 15 years in prison
The police opened a criminal case under the article on mass disorder. The Public Council called it “a serious article of the Criminal Code”. They said that the protesters’ actions threaten Russia’s national security. pic.twitter.com/MCbjpo0Izn
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 17, 2024
Such an explosion of anger in the street has become extremely rare in Russia, where any criticism of power can be punished with a prison sentence. The previous large-scale movements in the streets date back to the fall of 2022, at the time of the mobilization campaign of hundreds of thousands of reservists, civilians therefore, to strengthen the ranks of the army engaged in Ukraine.
Clashes after the conviction of Faïl Alsynov
Faïl Alsynov, who fights in particular against the exploitation of energy resources in the Republic of Bashkortostan and who denounced the Russian assault in Ukraine, had just been sentenced to four years in prison for “ incitement to hatred “. It was this judgment, delivered behind closed doors, which led thousands of his supporters to demonstrate in front of the court.
The case dates back to 2023: in a speech against the exploitation of gold mines, Faïl Alsynov used two words in Bashkir, the local language, described as racist by the authorities. The activist has since claimed that his remarks were poorly translated into Russian: “ I do not admit my guilt. I have always fought for justice, for my people, for my republic », he defended himself again after the announcement of the verdict. “ We will appeal “. In its judgment, the Baimak court ruled that Faïl Alsynov’s remarks had been intended to “ incite hatred and humiliate the dignity of a group of people on the basis of race, nationality, language or origin “.
The region’s Interior Ministry, for its part, called on Tuesday not to demonstrate in front of the court, an offense “ punishable by law “, he recalled in a press release. This call to order from the authorities came the day after a first large-scale demonstration in support of Fail Alsynov in Baimak, during which several hundred people demanded from President Vladimir Putin, according to videos on social networks, the resignation of regional governor Radiï Khabirov, who had criticized this activist. “ We are not extremists! We are not Nazis! », shouted a man standing on a pile of snow. “ We just want the law to be respected! »
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(With AFP)