Thousands protest in Russia: What does this mean for Putin and Russian politics? | DW News

In Russia dozens of protesters have been arrested after clashes with Riot police in the central region of bash couristan thousands of people demonstrated there after an environmental activist was sentenced to four years in prison for allegedly inciting ethnic hatred his supporters say that he is facing persecution for his political

Views rare images from today’s Russia a country where even peaceful Street protests are met with a harsh response police dispersing demonstrators in the town of Bak with the help of tear gas and stun grenades it all began after a judge sentenced a local activist to four years

In prison F Al was taken into custody after the Ruling my huge thanks to you all who came to support me I will never forget this I do not plead guilty I have always been struggling for justice for my people for my Republic so God willing we will see each other again as the verdict was announced hundreds of demonstrators who gathered

Outside began chanting slogans in his support security forces intervened and at least several arrests followed alv has been a prominent Eco activist in the central Russian region of cstan he has also campaigned for the protection of the regional Bashir language and condemned Russia’s war in Ukraine he was sentenced for a comment

Considered racist by the authorities but which he says was mistranslated the ruling LED not only to Street protests but emotional pleas by his supporters on social media I am calling on all fighters from bash cstan to to leave the territory of Ukraine and return to their home region

To defend their land and their people while you are fighting for the Ambitions of one person your people are being beaten up by Security Forces after the hours long standoff Riot police finally dispersed the demonstrators the rally in Bak has been one of the biggest protests in Russia

Since the Kremlin began its war in Ukraine as the jailed activist begins to serve his sentence it appears that some of his supporters may follow him authorities have launched a criminal case into Mass riots a crime with a punishment of up to 15 years in jail all

Right I want to go now to DW zri retto he joins us now from Ria in laia Ria of course is where our Bureau is following the closure of our office in Russia Yuri these protests they they ended just a few hours ago what made so many people people take to the

Streets I think brand people protested for two reasons obviously the first reason was obviously the punishment of a popular popular environmental activist who who not only fought for the environment by the way but also became yeah kind of symbol of the fight against the arbitrary actions of the authorities

And that brings us to the second reason uh this is obviously about people accumulated anger their dissatisfaction with their own government because they not only loudly demanded the release of the imprisoned uh activist but also the resignation of the Bashir prime minister uh slogans such as we are a free people

And shame were chanted and I have to say that the people of basharan have a particularly strong sense of Freedom uh as they’ve been protesting against the destru ction of the environment there for years and often with success I’ve been to such protests several times myself as a reporter and can say that

Yes this region has clearly a lot of potential for protest and you’re what do we know about this environmental um activist f alov um and and why are thousands of people willing to take to the streets to demonstrate for his freedom well f alov is a very well-known

Person in the Republic of bashkortostan until recently he haded an NGO that campaigned for bash cartan’s independence from Russia uh of course this NGO was banned and classified uh meanwhile as extremist um the reason why the police are now accusing alov on inciting ethnic hatred was a statement

He made during the environmental protest in April this year back then in his speech he referred to foreign migrant ANS in the region from the Caucasus as black people that alone was enough for the authorities now to send him for to prison for four years uh the protesters however the protesters today

Believe that the real reason was to silence the best known activist someone who has always expressed their wishes their demands and their dissatisfaction with those in power in other words from the people’s point of view the real reason is to restrict their freedom of expression and how does this Yuri Play Into The

Wider picture I’m thinking of politics in Russia I’m thinking of Vladimir Putin’s grip on power I mean there there is an election coming up absolutely brand speaking generally uh about Russian politics now I mean today’s demonstration is certainly at thir in Putin’s S as the people from the

Region somewhere behind the Euros are sending a signal to Moscow that they are able to protest regardless of whether they are doing so intentionally or not um and this despite the fact that Russia now has very strict anti-d demonstration laws H you can go to the take to the

Street in Russia you with the uh empty piece of paper and be arrested um in exactly two months you said it uh a president will be elected in Russia Putin wants to be reelected and clearly within overwhelming majority and it doesn’t go so well that there are those who think differently even though

Their protest was not directly against Putin uh however it is dangerous for those in power for the Kremlin because it quickly turned into a political protest with fundamental demands the protest was crushed harsh harshly with teas and sticks with several arrests and also criminal charges these reactions clearly shows that the Russian

Authorities are at least taking it very seriously yeah the the Optics have a lot of meaning we know for Vladimir Putin ew’s Ria bureau chief Yuri retto Yuri as always thank you

In Russia, dozens of protesters have been arrested after clashes with riot police in the central region of Bashkortostan.

Thousands of people demonstrated in the town of Baymak after an environmental activist was sentenced to four years in prison for allegedly inciting hatred.

Police used force and tear gas to disperse protesters and several people were injured.
According to Russia’s strict anti-demonstration laws, protesters found guilty of so-called “mass-rioting” could face up to 15 years in prison.

#Russia #Protest #Bashkortostan

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41 comments

  5. Right here, is when Russia knew………IT FUCKE UP.

    SOMEONE ONCE SAID, TO SAY WE ARE AT WAR, WOULD MEAN, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO LOSE, OR THE OPPOSITION HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE OF WINNING.

    😂😂😂🇺🇲🇺🇦🇮🇱🌎😎🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊💪🏼💪💪🏻💪🏽💪🏿🇬🇧🇯🇵🇦🇺🇫🇷🇨🇦🇵🇱🇩🇪🇬🇷🇹🇷

  6. The people of countries around the world are not evil, the governments of the world, are EVIL AND CORRUPT.
    THE PEOPLE OF ALL COUNTRIES ARE NOT THE FAULT.

    WE HAVE THE POWER, BUT HEY DONT WANT US WITH IT.

    RISE UP PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
    WE ALL ARE IN THE SAME BOAT.

  7. This is a communist country not a democracy, our labor government would like it to be like this here, that is the the idea of the misinformation bill.

  12. I mean, framing this as if this was anything close to an actual threat to the rule is such a stretch it's suspicious… what do you mean by doing this?

  17. Thousands protest in Russia: What does this mean for Putin and Russian politics? They will have to figure out a way to stamp down the uprising and throw everyone involved in prison! So business as usual!

  29. RUSSIAN PEOPLE, YOU MUST FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, FREEDOM TO CHOOSE A BETTER PRESIDENT & A BETTER FUTURE FOR YOURSELVES & YOUR CHILDREN. YOU MUST FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS, FOR PEACE & FOR YOUR PERSONAL FREEDOM FROM AN OPPRESSIVE & SELF SERVING PRESIDENT. DO NOT BE AFRAID. GOD IS WITH YOU IN YOUR STRUGLES. BLESSED ARE THE PEACE SEEKERS, THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF GOD.

  36. Falso, son todos estadoubidenses que nacieron y crecieron en rusia pero siguen siendo estadounidenses, en Rusia todos aman al supremo lider puthler

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