A human rights activist in Bashkortostan, a republic of central Russia, was sentenced today to four years in prison after a court found him guilty of inciting hatred, as reported by independent Russian-language news media.

Video, which circulated on social media, shows officers from the Class Restoration Unitwearing helmets and holding shields and globes facing a large crowd of people who had gathered in support of activist File Alsinov.

Alsinov is accused of insulting migrant workers in a speech he delivered in April 2023 during a protest over gold mining plans in a region of Bashkortostan.

Mass demonstrations in Russia are exceedingly rare because of the risk of arrest associated with any gathering that the authorities deem unsanctioned.

Thousands of people have been arrested in the last two years for opposing the war in Ukraine.