Your Rights
Хоҡуҡтарығың
Before you contact us — read this
We never contact you first
This office does not call, email or message people out of the blue, and never asks for your documents, your address, a case file, or money. An account claiming to be the Bashkir Ombudsperson and asking for personal data or payment is an impostor — a scammer or the security services. Do not reply. Warn others.
Never send data or money from inside Russia
From within Russia, do not send documents, ID scans, case details, photos, or funds of any kind — cash, bank transfer or cryptocurrency. Anything you send can be intercepted, traced to you, and used as evidence against you. If you must reach out, use a secure device and share nothing that identifies you or your family.
Only publicity protects you
If you or your relatives are threatened, public attention is usually the one thing that stops it. Silence is what your persecutors are counting on — it lets them act with no witnesses and no cost. Speaking out is not what puts you in danger; being invisible is.
What we do with your information
When you contact this office, you choose what to tell us. We ask only for what a case needs, and you can stay anonymous.
- Where it goes. Your message travels through Telegram or e-mail and is held by that service under its own terms — we cannot change how those companies operate. On our side, case material sits on storage we administer and is opened only by the people working your case.
- What we keep, and for how long. The facts of the case and the evidence you send — nothing more, and no profiles. We hold it while the case is active and for as long as an archive of the violation requires. Ask us to delete your data and we will, unless that would destroy evidence another person’s case depends on.
- Who sees it. Only case staff. We never give your identity or your report to a lawyer, a journalist or an international body without your explicit consent, and we tell you in advance exactly what would be shared and with whom.
- This website. It runs on a server we administer. It sets no advertising or analytics trackers and does not profile visitors. Ordinary server logs exist for security only and are not used to identify you.
No system is beyond the reach of a determined state. Treat anything you would not say aloud in Russia as something you should not type to us either — that is what the checklist above is for.
Know Your Rights.
Use this checklist to map your situation to the right law and next steps.
- Identify the harm. Detention / torture / forced mobilization • language or education discrimination • resource theft / environmental harm • reprisals for speech, assembly, or culture.
- Match protections.
See the instruments on the right: ICCPR (Arts. 7, 9, 14, 19, 21, 27), ICESCR (Arts. 13, 15), Geneva Conventions, 1907 Hague Regulations, UNDRIP (self-identification, language, culture). - Document safely.
Record dates, places, units/officials, witnesses; keep originals; store copies securely; preserve photo/video metadata. - Seek help securely.
Contact trusted NGOs/lawyers or our Telegram bot for confidential intake.
UNDRIP
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Self-identification, language, culture, participation.
Front Line Defenders
Front Line Defenders recognises human rights defenders working to protect and defend any and all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
Protect yourself.
- Assess risk first
Who could be watching? What devices or accounts could be compromised? Plan ahead and assume that phones, messengers, and cameras may be tracked. - Secure your devices.
Use strong passcodes (not fingerprints), enable full-disk encryption, and set auto-lock. Keep one “clean” phone for communication, separate from your main accounts. - Use trusted channels.
Communicate through Signal or ProtonMail. Avoid Telegram, WhatsApp, or VK. Disable geolocation, Bluetooth, and cloud backups before sending anything sensitive. - Protect your identity.
Never post evidence under your real name or with recognizable background/location. Blur faces and surroundings; strip metadata from photos and PDFs before sharing externally. - Have an emergency plan.
Tell one trusted person outside your country or region where to call if you disappear. Prepare code words or emojis that signal danger. Keep a printed list of key contacts.
Device & Account Security
Lock screens, encryption, two-factor authentication, app permissions, safe SIM use.
Secure Communication
How to use Signal, ProtonMail, and disappearing messages correctly.
Location & Travel Safety
Prevent tracking, safe routes, cross-border precautions, how to handle checkpoints.
Emergency & Arrest Response
What to say, what not to sign, how to contact family or lawyer if detained.
Safe Reporting
Anonymous contact methods, Telegram bot instructions, encrypted uploads.
Community Support
Stress reactions, burnout prevention, peer support and confidential counseling links.
How Activists Resist State Power
Protect others.
- Protected identities.
Never publish full names, faces, or personal data without explicit consent. Use initials or generic terms (“a teacher from Ufa”, “a volunteer from Sterlitamak”). - Choose safe channels.
Avoid open social networks for sensitive coordination. Use encrypted messengers or email lists with trusted people only. - Document ethically.
Get permission before sharing photos or stories. Blur faces of victims and family members. Don’t share medical data or legal papers publicly. - Support in ways that last.
Translate materials, write to families, collect verified data, or donate through trusted intermediaries — not via random online fundraisers. - Have an emergency plan.
Tell one trusted person outside your country or region where to call if you disappear. Prepare code words or emojis that signal danger. Keep a printed list of key contacts. - Stay emotionally safe.
Witnessing injustice is draining. Rotate tasks, take breaks, and debrief with peers or support groups.
Writing to Prisoners
How to send safe letters, what not to write, and verified address lists.
Verified Petition Templates
Ready-made appeal examples to UN, OSCE, and regional institutions.
Supporting Families of Detainees
How to organize help, gather humanitarian aid, and maintain contact ethically.
International Mechanisms
How to submit reports or urgent appeals to the UN or regional bodies.