Watchdog

A meeting of an anti-corruption project backed by Russian opposition politician Yulia Galyamina in Kazan had to be postponed because of an alleged emergency situation in the facility where it was to be held, according to an organizer of the event.

Representatives of Galyamina and her School of District Anti-Corruption were told that an alarm went off inside the building, the electricity was cut off, and the doors were blocked, the organizers told RFE/RL's Idel.Realities on February 12.

The meeting was to be held at a space provided by Parallel Co-Working, which rents conference rooms and other spaces for events in Kazan, the capital of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan.

A representative of Parallel Co-Working said that the fire alarm went off due to artificial smoke used by the bar downstairs at a party the night before. For this reason, some rooms were blocked in the morning, the representative, who identified herself only as Alina, told Idel.Realities.

Alina confirmed that the situation was unusual. The representative could not say whether the School of District Anti-Corruption would be provided with a space if restrictions inside the building were lifted.

Representatives of the Kazan opposition, who had expressed a desire to participate in the event, told Idel.Realities they had no doubt that Parallel Co-Working found an excuse to refuse Galyamina’s organization after pressure from local law enforcement agencies.

The organizers found a new venue for their meeting at the Regina Hotel but were not able to conduct it undisturbed. Police arrived after the meeting started and said there had been a report of a violation of anti-COVID-19 measures in the classroom.

The police said that if the participants gather again, they will come back to check the event for "compliance with anti-COVID measures."

Opposition politicians in the past have been prevented from holding meetings in Kazan at the last moment.

The Hotel Shushma, where a debate on the need to extend the agreement between Tatarstan and Russia was to be held in 2017, refused to rent a hall to the organizers. And in December 2019, the Nogai Hotel refused to rent a conference hall to the organizers of the Tatarstan Elections 2020 forum.

BISHKEK -- A Kyrgyz opposition activist is facing up to five years in prison for social media posts that security services claim are a call to overthrow the government.

Mirlan Uraimov, a member of the Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan) party, was arrested on February 8 and is being held in a State Committee for National Security detention center. The 37-year-old is a known blogger and the founder of Mekendesh TV on YouTube.

The security services didn’t say exactly what statements by Uraimov they suspected of being criminal. But Kyrgyz media reported the charges stem from a Facebook post that claims the government does not function well and needs to be replaced. Uraimov’s lawyer said the activist had nothing to do with the post and that his Facebook account was hacked.

Opposition supporters say the charge against Uraimov -- calling for the seizing of political power by force -- is an attack on freedom of speech and a warning by authorities to other government critics, bloggers, and activists.

Activist Adil Turdukulov told RFE/RL that by arresting Uraimov the authorities are targeting his party, Butun Kyrgyzstan, which has risen from so-called street opposition to an important political group that has five representatives in the 90-seat unicameral parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh.

“It means that the party enjoys people’s support and, therefore, any criticism by party members is taken by the government far more seriously,” Turdukulov said. “The [criminal case against Uraimov] is an attempt to frighten the party members, to weaken them.”

Turdukulov also accused authorities of selectively targeting bloggers who criticize government policies on social media. At the same time, the authorities turn a blind eye to material published by pro-government bloggers who vilify the opposition, even sometimes inciting interregional hatred, Turdukulov added.

Butun Kyrgyzstan leaders criticized the way Uraimov was arrested during a nighttime raid by law enforcement agents to his home, “scaring his children and other family members.” The party says the officers also conducted a search of his house.

“Is this some kind of warning to others? Where did this practice come from -- breaking in at night? There used to be no such thing in Kyrgyzstan,” Butun Kyrgyzstan party leader Adakhan Madumarov said.

He accused the government of putting pressure “on a person who simply expressed his opinion.”

Gulya Kozhokulova, a Butun Kyrgyzstan lawmaker, called it a gross violation of human rights.

“Law enforcement agents carry out the arrests of [activists and bloggers] as if they are dangerous criminals or members of organized criminal groups,” Kozhokulova told parliament on February 10.

Kozhokulova warned that such an attitude can lead to “legal chaos.”

Meanwhile, Prosecutor-General Kurmankul Zulushev said a probe is being launched to determine the legitimacy of the charges against Uraimov and the circumstances of his arrest.

“Of course, it would have been wrong to open a criminal case just because someone offended someone in their statement,” Zulushev said. “But if the statement contains certain calls or something else that threatens state security, then [the person behind the statement] should be held responsible.”

On February 10, a court in Bishkek approved Uraimov’s pretrial arrest for two months. About 80 people gathered outside the court to support the activist. The crowd chanted slogans calling for justice for Uraimov and demanding the government end what they described as "political persecution."

Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service correspondent Eleonora Beishenbek-kyzy.