One more case commenced against Rafis Kashapov

Investigative department of the Investigative committee of Russia in Republic of Tatarstan filed a new prosecution against Rafis Kashapov, as Kommersant-Kazan newspaper reports. According to investigators’ version, until 29.04.2018 a suspect placed text and images on his personal Facebook page, that, in opinion of Investigative committee, incited hatred and enmity on the grounds of race, nationality, language, origin, religion, and belonging to a social group.

The investigative committee of Russian Federation does not specify, what publications are claimed as illegal. In April 2018 our movement took an action "Protect native languages of Idel-Ural!", and many publications on Kashapov’s page were dedicated exactly to this topic.

As co-founder Free Idel-Ural civic movement, Mr. Rafis Kashapov commented this news. “The main "crime" I am permanently being accused by Moscow is our unwillingness to silently watch, how Tatar people are converted into Russians, and how national republics become ordinary Russian provinces. Today the question is not about me, and not about my personal life. The question is different: shall we be able to outlive these very hard times of persecutions? Shall we continue our struggle in loneliness, or our expectations will be supported by global community? When I say "we" - I do assume not only Tatars but also Bashkirs, Chuvashs, Erzya, Moksha, Udmurts and Mari people. Shall we be able to enter into upcoming century as authentic nations, or our resistance will be broken and we all will be violently converted into Russian Ivans? Each of us must answer this question for himself", Kashapov said.

Today Rafis Kashapov stays on British soil, where he tries to receive political asylum.

#IdelUral #Kashapov