The court in Bashkortostan sentenced Fail Alsynov to 4 years in prison

A court in Bashkortostan sentenced a civil activist, one of the defenders of Kushtau Fail Alsynov, to four years in a colony under the general regime. He was accused of inciting hatred or enmity.

The prosecutor asked to appoint Alsynov four years in a colony-settlement.

Rusnews writes that several thousand people attended the announcement of the verdict. They chanted “Freedom!” and “File, we are with you!”. Law enforcement officers with batons and shields pushed back the crowd, a skirmish ensued. Policemen allegedly threw smoke grenades into the crowd. According to eyewitnesses, at least five people were detained. The gathered chant “Shame”.

In recent days, thousands of people gathered at the Baimak district court, where the closed hearing of the case took place. They held spontaneous rallies demanding the release of Alsynov, and also recorded an appeal to President Vladimir Putin demanding the resignation of the head of Bashkortostan, Rady Khabirov.

On Tuesday evening, the police warned residents about their responsibility for participating in rallies. Several activists were detained.

The case against Fail Alsynov was opened at the request of the head of Bashkortostan, Rady Khabirov.

The reason for the criminal prosecution was a speech delivered by an activist at a citizen’s rally in the village of Ishmurzyno in Baymak district on April 28, 2023. The investigation claims that Alsynov humiliated the human dignity of groups of people with the words “Caucasus residents”, “Central Asia” and “Armenians”. The activist denies it.

Alsynov previously headed the “Bashkort” organization, which in 2020 the Russian authorities recognized as extremist and banned its activities on the territory of the country. The head of Bashkortostan, Rady Khabirov, demanded that the activist be brought to criminal responsibility for “carrying out extremist activities” and “calling for anti-state demonstrations.”

• In 2018, Shikhan (Mountain) Kushtau was handed over to the Bashkir soda company for lime extraction, local residents began to speak out against this decision. After the actions, many activists who spoke in defense of Kushtau were brought to administrative and criminal responsibility.