Scientist, who commited self-immolation near State Council of Udmurtia, died in hospital

Udmurt scientist Albert Razin who accomplished self-immolation near building of State Council of Udmurtia, died in hospital without regaining consciousness, as reported by RadioLiberty.

Scientist demanded to protect Udmurt nation and its language from Russification. On Tuesday morning he conducted single-person picketing near building of State Council of Udmurtia. Banners were found near Razin’s body, one of them would read: “And if my language will disappear tomorrow, then I am ready to die today”.

Today a session of State Council was to be held in Izhevsk, now it’s postponed till September 24.

Albert Razin was 79, PhD in philosophy, associate professor, honoured worker of science of Udmurt Republic, activist of Udmurt Kenesh, Udmurt national movement, as well as Todoschi scientific club.

Albert Razin was one of those scientists who last year signed an open letter to Alexei Prasolov, chairman of State Council of Udmurtia, and other council members with a requst to reject a bill about voluntarily study of non-Russian languages at schools.