The leader of the Uzbek community “Vatandosh” in Russia was arrested

The leader of the Uzbek community "Vatandosh," Usmon Baratov, has been arrested in Moscow, Russia, as reported by the Investigative Committee of Russia.

Baratov, who heads the interregional Uzbek society "Vatandosh" in Russia, is facing charges under clause "c" of part 2 of Article 282 of the Criminal Code of Russia, which pertains to inciting hatred, enmity, or humiliating human dignity. The Moscow department of the committee initiated the case, alleging that Baratov published posts on social media in December 2023, denigrating Russian citizens, including those involved in the conflict in Ukraine.

While the investigative committee's report did not specify the content of the posts, earlier observations by military correspondents and Telegram channels pointed to a December 16 post on Odnoklassniki, where Baratov commented on the price of eggs in Russia. This post, featuring a photo of chickens, was deemed insulting to Ukraine war participants.

On January 16, Baratov claimed his social networks had been hacked. Subsequently, on January 17, Chairman Alexander Bastrykin ordered the opening of a criminal case against Baratov, who could face up to 6 years of imprisonment based on the charges.