This article was reprinted with permission after being published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
A jury in Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan on November 19 sentenced advocate Marat Sharafutdinov, the last accused in the high-profile Karmaskaly circumstance, to nine years in prison.
The jury found Sharafutdinov innocent of organizing an extremist group’s activities and preparing to perpetrate violence on racial premises.
Authorities said the accused was affiliated with the , Bashqort , firm that for years promoted Bashkir language and culture but was  , banned , in Russia and designated as radical in May 2020.
In the Karmaskaly area on November 7, 2020, authorities and unique makes detained about 50 Bashkir protesters.
The protesters ‘ arrests are still subject to dispute over who was behind them: some claim they were trying to stifle a dispute with the local Armenian area, while others claim they were visiting for a holiday.
While in confinement, some protesters filed problems with the Investigative Committee, alleging improper actions by authorities and special forces.
However, in December 2020, the Investigative Committee declined to open a event, citing a lack of proof of police wrong.
Following further problems to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the event materials were sent for further evaluation, but no substantial action was taken.
In January 2021, authorities conducted more searches and suspensions. Rules police alleged that weapons and ammunition, including a sawed-off gun and explosives, were found during the attacks. These things, according to activists and their families, were planted by the government.
Sharafutdinov , was detained on January 13, 2021. Afterward, his attorneys claimed that he had been subjected to violence, including brain injuries, during interrogations. Despite an alleged “exacerbation of disease,” Sharafutdinov reportedly received treatment in a psychiatric doctor in Bashkortostan in August 2021.
In August 2021, his situation was split into specific cases, with the suspension of which follows. The prosecution had already started in August of that year, and it had been reopened in early 2023. The trials were delayed several times for various causes, including Sharafutdinov’s health issues.
Prior to the Karmaskaly trial, other plaintiffs had been given suspended sentences. But, Sharafutdinov’s trial ended with a nine-year jail sentence. His defence team has filed an appeal.
Sharafutdinov’s cousins and followers have described the word as wrong.
Bashkir activists fear the event, along with other high-profile trials, could pave the way for broader crackdowns on past users of Bashqort.
The situation has drawn important public attention, highlighting , continuing tensions , between campaigners and regulators in Bashkortostan.
