About 5 thousand people gathered at the court in Bashkortostan in support of the defender of Mount Kushtau

In the city of Baymak today a sentence was to be passed on Fail Alsynov, a criminal case against whom was opened at the request of the head of the Republic

According to the Idel.Realii channel*, in April last year, at a gathering in the village of Ishmurzino, the activist gave a speech in the Bashkir language. In August, based on an appeal from the head of Bashkortostan, Radiy Khabirov, a criminal case was opened under Part 1 of Art. 282 of the Criminal Code (“Inciting hatred or enmity, as well as humiliation of human dignity”). The investigation considered that Alsynov made statements that negatively assessed groups of people - “residents of the Caucasus,” “Central Asia,” “Armenians,” and also “degraded human dignity.” According to a translation ordered by the investigation, the activist also spoke about Ukraine: “What benefit do we have from this? Our guys leave - they lay down their heads and die. After all, there are not even men left here who can defend our lands. Women and old women are the only ones left. Drinkers die from drunkenness, the living die in war.”

Fail Alsynov did not admit guilt. The trial of the activist is taking place behind closed doors. The prosecution requested 4 years in prison, the maximum term under this article is five years.

The verdict was to be announced on January 15. In the morning, local residents began to gather near the courthouse; according to the Kushtau Bayram channel, there were about 5 thousand people.

At the court hearing, the debate between the parties ended and the last word of the defendant was heard. The announcement of the verdict was postponed to January 17.

*Recognized as a “foreign agent” in Russia.