Yesterday activists in Tatarstan celebrated release of Danis Safarghali, well-known leader of Altyn Urda (Tatar patriotic front), who spent 864 days in Russian prison. However already today in Kazan young activist Batyrkhan Agzamov, member of Azatliq Union of Tatar Youth was prosecuted for incitement to hatred on ethnic basis (article 20.3.1 of Code of Administrative Offences of Russian Federation). Agzamov was sent to jail for 5 days. 

On March 1, Free Idel-Ural civic movement organized picketing of diplomatic establishments of Russian Federation in Great Britain, Ukraine, Poland, Finland and USA. Activists gathered with demands to stop oppressions of freedom of speech in internet, to abolish censorship in mass-media and to release political prisoners which are being held in Russian prisons for political reasons.

Free Idel-Ural civic movement appealed to Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister for foreign affairs of Turkey. In their open letter activists point out numerous examples of violation of civic, national and cultural rights of Idel-Ural native peoples and call Turkey to come forward as a mediator in dialog with Moscow.

Everyone who lived through the end of the Gorbachev era will remember that the Soviet president sought to raise the status of the autonomous republics of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to weaken it and thus make it more difficult for the Russian Federation and indeed the other non-Russian union republics to defend their interests and pursue their goals.

Year 2019 just started, and there is already a bunch of texts in media space, dedicated to social and political situation in Idel-Ural in general and activity of our movement in particular. We tried to analyse these publications for better understanding what topics are of key importance in today’s media.

Moscow strengthens its control above personal life of Russian citizens and aims to monitor any activity in internet. On January 24, 2019 State Duma of Russian Federation supported on first reading bill № 606593-7, which includes fines and even arrest for offense of state symbols of Russian Federation and bodies of power. Similar strict punishments are provided for “distribution of unreliable information”.

Free Idel-Ural civic movement is asking OSCE High Commissioner on national minorities to help Erzyans to establish a monument of their national hero.

Creation of British local branch of Free Idel-Ural civic movement was declared during assembly of movement’s supporters on January 20, 2019 in London. 

As it has become known from open sources, official Ufa initiated determination of administrative border of Republic of Bashkortostan. In current year Bashkortostan defined borders with the Perm’ region, legitimizing it with the special agreement. In 2019-2020 republican authorities intend to settle this question with other adjoining regions.

December 1, 2018 Nadezhda Lisova, chairperson of Chuvash diaspora association in Ukraine, declared that Chuvash community is denied the opportunity to study their mother tongue. On behalf of Chuvash diasporea mrs. Lisova expressed regret, that Chuvash sunday-schools are absent in Ukraine, and Chuvash language as special discipline is not studied in higher educational establishments. 

Constituent meeting in order to create a branch of Free Idel-Ural civic movement in Great Britain will take place in London at January 20, 2019. 

Territory of Republic of Mordovia covers only small part of lands where Erzya and Moksha people lived since time immemorial. Large Erzyan and Mokshan settlements were placed outside borders, established by Bolsheviks in 1928.

National movements of Idel-Ural peoples use all possible means to protect their identity from permanent onslaught of Moscow. In this long-lasting and unequal struggle we have virtually no international support. Any display of solidarity with national movements of Idel-Ural is a portion of freedom which motivates us to move forward. 

A round table, dedicated to violation of rights of native peoples in Russian Federation, was held at Committee on the Foreign Affairs of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Ukrainian parliament) on December 7, 2018. The event gathered members of Ukrainian parliament, diplomats, scientists, human rights advocates and political emigrants from Russia. Activists of Free Idel-Ural civic movement presented special lectures about political situation in republics of Idel-Ural (rus. Povolzhye). 

Our movement adressed to Rustam Minnikhanov, President of Republic of Tatarstan, with a request to provide financial support to family of Danis Safargali, Tatar political prisoner. His wife Guzel is now raising 4 children on her own.