Clashes Break Out in Russian Region Over Jailing of Rights Activist

Riot police fired tear gas and hit protesters with batons in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan on Wednesday after a leading local rights activist was sentenced to four years in a penal colony.

Clashes broke out between the police and a large crowd of people who had gathered in support of the activist, Fail Alsynov. At a trial that was closed to the media, a court found him guilty of inciting ethnic hatred, a