Airat Dilmukhametov

Airat Dilmukhametov is a publicist who promotes the ideas of Bashkir nationalism and has criticised the authorities of Bashkortostan. In April 2011, for his 2008 publications, he was convicted of calling for extremist and terrorist activity and inciting ethnic hatred. He served two years in prison and was released in August 2012. After his release, he continued to engage in journalistic activities.

In July 2013, a case on justification of terrorism was opened in connection with the publication of the article "Akhyr Zaman" in February 2011. On 17 July Dilmukhametov was detained and placed under house arrest on 19 July. In January 2014, he was transferred on his own recognizance. On 12 March 2015, he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in a strict regime colony. On 22 July, the court of second instance left the sentence unchanged. On 11 September 2017, he was released.

On 15 March 2019, the court in Ufa sent Dilmukhametov under arrest on charges of publishing on the Internet calls to violate the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation (part 2 of article 280.1 of the Criminal Code). At the end of April, it became known that a case of justification of terrorism was also opened against Dilmukhametov in connection with the publication of a video about the persecution of alleged members of Hizb ut-Tahrir and calls for extremist activity in connection with an alleged statement about Chechens.

In October 2019, a case was opened against Dilmukhametov because of his performance in the programme "Personally Yours" on Ekho Moskvy in Ufa of 23 May 2018, where he spoke about his initiative to create a "Fourth Bashkir Republic". In January 2020, Dilmukhametov was prosecuted for financing extremist activities.

On 24 August, the court sentenced Dilmukhametov to nine years in a strict regime colony.