The clashes in Russia were sparked by the arrest and sentencing of Fail Alsynov, a local rights activist in the region of Bashkortostan. Alsynov was convicted of inciting ethnic hatred, a charge he denied, and sentenced to four years in a penal colony.
His supporters gathered in the town of Baymak to protest the verdict, and clashed with riot police who fired tear gas and hit them with batons. The protest was a rare display of public outrage in Russia, where large demonstrations are usually suppressed by the authorities.
The case of Alsynov also highlighted the tensions between the ethnic minorities in Russia and the central government, as well as the growing demand for cocaine in Europe and the violence it fuels.
