Russian Scholar Dies From Self-Immolation While Protesting to Save Native Language

THE MOSCOW TIMES: An academic in central Russia died Tuesday after setting himself on fire over what has been reported as an act of protest over perceived government policy against his native language.

Albert Razin, 79, was hospitalized in critical condition in the republic of Udmurtia after committing an act of self-immolation outside an administrative building in the city of Izhevsk.

“If my language dies tomorrow then I’m ready to die today,” read one of two signs Razin was wearing, according to the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty news outlet’s regional affiliate. The text appeared to borrow a line from Dagestani poet Rasul Gamzatov’s poem “Native Language.”

Almost 100% of Razin’s body surface had received burns, the Kommersant business daily cited doctors as saying. Investigators have launched an inspection into the incident and officials at the building where the self-immolation occurred have postponed their administrative session by two weeks.

Read more here. (The Moscow Times, 10.09.2019)