INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported Tuesday.Protests broke out at Kushtau Hill, considered sacred by locals, in August 2020 when the
Sharafutdinov was arrested again in January 2021 alongside fellow activists Ilnur Kinisarov, Rustam Amanov and Rayil Abkadirov, who were
later sentenced to three years in prison.Sharafutdinov was found guilty of being a member of the outlawed Bashkir national
Sharafutdinov's initial arrest in November 2020, when law enforcement arrested around 50 Bashkir activists near Karmaskaly
village.Authorities claimed that the activists were planning a confrontation with members of the local Armenian community
The activists denied the allegations and accused law enforcement officials of using excessive force during the arrests.Supporters of the
The site was eventually designated a protected natural area.
