Unusual images in Russia: the conviction of a Kremlin opponent turns into a riot

Clashes between protesters and police broke out on Wednesday in Bashkortostan, in the Urals, in western Russia ©IPMEIn Russia, the opposition is crushed on the eve of the presidential elections: “The repression is strong, it prevents many from raising their voices”

Snowballs thrown at police

This meeting took place in the city of Baimak, in the south of the Republic of Bashkortostan, in the Urals. Faïl Alsynov was on trial there for a case dating back to April 2023 linked to a case he had been fighting since 2014. He had organized a spontaneous demonstration after workers began cutting down trees from a mountain in the region to exploit minerals . The authorities accuse him of having “incited hatred” during a speech held in Bashkir in which he attacked Chechen workers and future operators of this project, of Armenian origin. Summoned to appear in court during the third hearing on January 15, Alsynov denied the racist nature of his statements and claimed that they had been mistranslated. “I don’t admit my guilt. I have always fought for justice, for my people, for my republic”, he declared before the court that sentenced him to four years in prison.

Defender of Bashkir identity, Faïl ​​Alsynov was on trial for organizing a spontaneous demonstration after some workers began cutting down trees from a mountain in the region to exploit minerals. He also opposed the war in Ukraine. ©AFP or licensors

This Wednesday almost 7,000 people gathered in front of the court to support him. The authorities have partially cut the city’s telephone networks. Snowballs were thrown at police and streets were blocked, prompting riot police to use tear gas to disperse protesters. An investigation has been opened for “mass riots”.

Separatist desires

Such a protest is rare in Russia, but not unique. In recent years, various ethnic minorities have taken part in increasingly spontaneous, often violent and mass protests. In 2018, thousands of people demonstrated for several weeks against the plan to move the Chechen border into their territory. In September 2022, dozens of men fought with police in Dagestan to oppose the Kremlin-ordered partial mobilization in the conflict with Ukraine. Other peoples, such as the Buryats or Yakuts, are more discreetly but equally vigorously outraged by the role of minorities in the war and by Moscow’s growing influence on the regions.

This poor region of the Russian Far East is one of those that provided the largest contingent of fighters to the Russian army. Report.

Each time these actions gave rise to separatist, nationalist and Kremlin-critical discourses. Enough to push Vladimir Putin to create, at the end of December, offices responsible for the fight against separatism in various regions of Russia. Faïl Alsynov could also pay for his position on the subject. The activist who has received support from soldiers currently on the front lines opposes the war and says: “this is not our war. While the Bashkirs fight in Ukraine, their lands are confiscated from them in Bashkortostan.” The opposite of the national unity desired by the Kremlin.

2024-01-18 13:07:00
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