Scores of demonstrators gathered in the capital of the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan on Friday to protest against the imprisonment of prominent Bashkir activist Fayil Alsynov.
According to independent news agency SOTAvision, around 1,500 demonstrators gathered in Ufa's Salavat Yulayev Square, singing songs, dancing and demanding the release of Alsynov, who was sentenced this week to four years in prison for “inciting interethnic hatred.” which the activist denies.
Authorities surrounded the area before the rally was scheduled to begin, warning participants over loudspeakers that they would be arrested for holding an unauthorized event.
Videos of Friday's protests posted on social media showed riot police arresting several demonstrators and putting them into police cars.
According to independent media reports, at least ten people had been arrested by the end of the rally at 1:00 p.m. local time.
Meanwhile, Bashkortostan's Interior Ministry opened two criminal cases over protests that took place earlier this week in the town of Baymak, where Alsynov was sentenced to his prison sentence.
Authorities warned that participants in these protests could face up to 15 years in prison for “organizing and participating in mass riots” or up to 10 years for “violence against a government official.”
A Ufa court on Thursday jailed six protesters from Baymak for 10 to 13 days for violating protest rules.
On Friday, nine other protesters were jailed on similar charges.
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Explainer: How an activist's arrest sparked protests in Russia's Bashkortostan
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Alsynov has been an activist in Bashkortostan, one of Russia's 21 ethnic republics, for over 15 years, advocating for the region's sovereignty and the political and linguistic rights of the indigenous Bashkir population.
He was a member of several Bashkir national organizations and movements, including serving as chairman of the Bashkir national organization Bashqort, which was banned by the Russian government in May 2020.
Alsynov was found guilty on Wednesday of inciting “inter-ethnic hatred” against migrant workers during a speech last year. He denies the allegations and claims his words were incorrectly translated into Russian from his native language, Bashkir.
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