About
Беҙ хаҡта
What this office is
The Ombudsperson for Bashkir Peoples’ Rights is an independent human-rights office. It works from outside Russia because it cannot work within it: an independent institution cannot operate where the police, the courts and the security services answer to power, not to law.
This office holds no position within the Bashkortostan administration installed under occupation, is appointed by no Russian authority, and reports to none.
What we do
- Receive and verify reports of detention, torture, language suppression, forced mobilisation and environmental harm
- Preserve evidence and connect people to trusted lawyers
- Document systemic violations and publish periodic reports
- Bring cases to UN Special Rapporteurs, treaty bodies and other international mechanisms
- Speak publicly for those who cannot
What we cannot do
This office is not a court. It cannot compel a Russian authority, overturn a sentence, or secure anyone’s release on its own. What it can do is make sure a case is documented, defended, and seen.
By what authority
This office was established by Bashkirs living abroad, and its representative is elected by members of the Bashkir national movement. It claims no authority from the Russian state or the administration in Ufa. Its mandate comes from the community it serves — and from the right of a people to defend its rights when its own institutions have been captured.
Independence
The office takes no funding or direction from any government. It is not affiliated with, and takes no instruction from, the administration in Ufa or any body of the Russian Federation.
How we are funded
The office is run entirely by volunteers — Bashkirs living abroad. There are no paid positions and no outside funders; it accepts no money from any government or organisation.
Reach the office
There is no public office and no postal address: an address inside Russia would put at risk everyone who came to it. The way to reach this office is the Telegram bot — @Ombuds_bot. Before you write, read the safety notes.