Hundreds protest and clash with police in a Russian region after an activist is sentenced to prison

By DASHA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Media reports and rights groups say hundreds of protesters clashed with police in the Russian region of Bashkortostan in a rare display of public outrage after a court convicted a local activist and sentenced him to prison. The unrest — one of the largest reported demonstrations since the war in Ukraine began in 2022 — erupted amid the trial of Fail Alsynov in the town of Baymak, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, in the southern Ural Mountains. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse protesters, who chanted “Freedom!” and “Disgrace!” and hurled snowballs at officers. Alsynov led a group that advocated for preserving the Bashkir language and culture, and protested gold mining operations.