“They painted us all as traitors”: Environmental protests in Bashkortostan morph into Russia's largest political trial, 3 October 2024

...Residents of Bashkortostan most frequently protest gold mining and illegal extraction activities. Four years ago, rallies against the destruction of the Kushtau Shihan — one of the four chalk mountains that Bashkir Soda Company intended to develop — drew the attention of the entire nation. Fayil Alsynov was among the main protest leaders, and the Bashkort group he co-founded in 2014 with Ruslan Gabbasov has also spoken out in defense of Bashkir language and culture and against the spread of counterfeit alcohol. Shortly after the protests in defense of Kushtau, the Supreme Court of Bashkortostan labeled Bashkort as “extremist,” and Alsynov himself became a target of law enforcement...

As a result of the protesters’ efforts, the owners of the land managed to keep their estates, and the Eurasian Mining Company gave up the project — much like what happened with the controversy around Kushtau Shihan three years earlier.

But the authorities never forgave Alsynov for his success. Radiy Khabirov, the head of Bashkortostan, wrote a denunciation against the activist, claiming that the districts of the Bashkir Trans-Urals (which includes the Baymak District) had allegedly spawned an anti-governmental campaign.

After Khabirov's denunciation, the prosecutor's office opened criminal proceedings against Alsynov for “incitement to hatred.” His final court session on Jan. 17 became the starting point for the Baymak Case...

Locals in Baymak openly criticize the authorities and talk about environmental problems...

Having gotten rid of the activists, the authorities and the gold miners may try yet again to start development in Ishmurzino, where locals blocked a similar attempt in 2023. Such plans have been voiced by Azat Badranov, the first deputy director for domestic policy of the head of Bashkortostan’s office...

Scientific research has shown an increase in the levels of cadmium and lead in the body tissues of people living in the Trans-Ural zone of Bashkortostan — a result of heavy metals pollution in bodies of water. For residents, this means an increased risk of cancer, anemia, neuropsychiatric, neuroendocrine, and reproductive system disorders...

Russia’s Investigative Committee sometimes fines mining companies, often after the mining is already underway. For example, Ekoservis was fined 485,000 rubles (roughly $5,000) for the illegal mining of precious metals...

But despite the fact that some mining companies are facing fines from the authorities, justice has not been restored. Many relatives of the defendants in the Baymak Case have reported attempts by local officials to silence them. “Before the trial, they prohibited me from posting any information about my father,” writes Aysuvak Yavgastin's 19-year-old daughter Alita. “They said that otherwise, he could be facing more charges”...