Bashkir activist Fail Alsynov addressed supporters from the pre-trial detention center

Bashkir activist Fail Alsynov, who was sentenced to 4 years in prison this week, addressed his supporters with a letter from the pre-trial detention center. He urged them to obey the law and refrain from violence. The action in defense of Alsynov at the court in Baymak on January 17 was accompanied by clashes with the police, there were victims, and a criminal case was opened for rioting.

The text of the letter was published by Alsynov’s lawyer Ilnur Suyundukov. It is written in the Bashkir language. The translation into Russian is published by the publication “Vazhney istorii”.

Alsynov writes that he is in the Magnitogorsk pre-trial detention center in the Chelyabinsk region – that is, he was taken out of Bashkortostan. The activist claims that among the participants of the events on January 17 were provocateurs who “incited people to take illegal actions. Including resisting the police, breaking into the courthouse.” “This is absolutely wrong,” Alsynov notes and urges supporters to act “exclusively within the framework of the law.” According to the activist, it is the Bashkortostan authorities, including the head of the republic, Radia Khabirov, who will profitably expose the participants of the protest actions as extremists.

Alsynov also called to support the participants of the actions in his defense, who were arrested.

On Saturday, it became known that activist Ilyas Baihuskarov was the first accused in the case of mass riots in connection with the events in Baymak. This was reported to “Mediazone” by the activist’s brother.

Baihuskarov was detained in Baymake on January 17. Later he was released, but on the night of January 18 he was again detained in Ufa. It is not yet known whether any measure of restraint was chosen for him. Ilyas Baihuskarov is known for protecting the historical museum in Ufa on the territory of the ancient settlement of Bashkort, where the authorities began construction of a temple and a park, notes Idel.realii.

On January 17, the court in Baymak sentenced the eco-activist and former leader of the Bashkir national organization “Bashkort” Fail Alsynov to four years in prison in the case of inciting hatred. The reason for the persecution was his speech at a public meeting in the village of Ishmurzyno, Baimak District, in April 2023. Then he uttered the words “kara khanyl”, which are translated from Bashkir as “black people”. Thus, according to the investigation, Alsynov insulted the residents of the Caucasus and Central Asia. He himself claims that he was talking about “ordinary people”.

More than a thousand people came to support Alsynov on the day of the verdict. The police used tear gas and stun grenades, beat the demonstrators with batons. About twenty participants of the protest sought medical help. More than ten participants of the rally received administrative arrests in court on charges of disobeying the demands of the police or violating the rules of holding rallies.

The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under the articles of organization and participation in mass riots, as well as the use of violence against representatives of the authorities.

Head of Bashkortostan, Rady Khabirov, commenting on Thursday’s clashes between supporters of Alsynov and the police at the courthouse in Baymak, said that he would not “tolerate extremism and attempts to destabilize the situation” and “will show the true face of the organizers”, whom he accused of separatism.

Amnesty International said that an impartial investigation of the actions of the police, including the use of force against protesters, was necessary, and demanded the immediate release of all peaceful protesters. This was announced by the deputy director of Amnesty International for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Denys Krivosheev. “The accusations against the protesters and the authorities’ assertions that they reacted to mass riots seem completely unfounded,” the statement said.