Hundreds Protest in Support of Imprisoned Activist in Russia

Hundreds of people protested on Friday, January 19, in the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, in support of a jailed activist who is recognized as a hero, despite warnings from Moscow. Fael Alsinov, 37, is well-liked for his activism in support of the language, culture, and ethnic rights of the Bashkir people. He led a successful protest in 2020 to prevent mining operations on a hill that locals consider sacred. He has stated that young Bashkirs in the Russian army are caught 'in the fire' of an external conflict regarding the war in Ukraine. Thousands protested on Wednesday in front of a court in the small town of Baymak, which sentenced him to four years in prison for inciting ethnic hatred. Russian authorities have placed Alsinov on a list of terrorists and extremists. He has denied the charges, and his supporters view his conviction as a delayed retaliation for his successful environmental campaign that forced officials to halt mining operations. The human rights group 'OVD-Info,' recognized as the largest non-governmental human rights organization in Russia, reported the detention of seventeen people during Wednesday's protests. According to this organization, police attacked protesters with tear gas and batons. On Friday's protest in Ufa, the capital of Bashkortostan, ten people were also detained. Images shared on social media indicate that these protests were peaceful. Reuters, citing analysts, reports that pressure is high on Radi Khabirov, the regional leader of Bashkortostan, to control the situation so that he is not embarrassed in front of Putin during the elections, where there is no doubt about his victory. Bashkortostan, a region with a population of 4.1 million in the southern Ural Mountains, where Europe and Asia meet, is one of more than 80 republics that make up the Russian Federation. Khabirov stated on Thursday, 'Extremists and traitors are trying to separate Bashkortostan from Russia.' Ruslan Valiev, a Bashkir journalist now living in Berlin, told Reuters that only a small minority of the Bashkir people desire separation from Russia. However, he noted that Moscow is concerned about the deep public support for Alsinov and the issues he raises, including the disproportionate number of men from ethnic minorities being sent to fight in Ukraine. The 'Memorial Human Rights Defense Center' reported in April 2023 that at least 558 political prisoners are in Russia, including political opponents of Putin, Alexei Navalny and Vladimir Kara-Murza, both of whom were arrested upon returning to Russia and sentenced to long prison terms based on their political views. Russia has also detained several journalists, including Alsu Kormasheva, a dual U.S.-Russian citizen working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Kormasheva's detention was extended due to her failure to register as an employee of a foreign media outlet. Ivan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter based in Russia, was arrested in March on charges of espionage. If Gershkovich is found guilty, he could face 20 years in prison.