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On 4 September, the Chedi-Khol District Court of the Republic of Tuva fined Renat Oyun, a former deputy of the Chedi-Khol district, 5,000 roubles (about US$55). This was reported by the Siberian Express news outlet. Oyun himself wrote about the fine on social media.

He was charged under the article on participation in an unauthorised demonstration that caused an obstruction to traffic (Part 6.1, Article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences). The protocol stemmed from a protest held by residents of the village of Saylyg, also in the Chedi-Khol district.

On 3 September, people stood watch on the bridge and stopped vehicles belonging to the company Oyna—the vehicles were heading to a gold mining site. Renat Oyun posted a video from the scene. Earlier in 2024, residents of Saylyg had also tried to block the company’s vehicles, fearing that gold mining would cause the Elegest River—the only water source for the village—to dry up.

Police, representatives of the kozhuun (district), sumon (village council), and the district prosecutor later arrived on the scene. They insisted the vehicles would be turned back. Instead, the protesters were detained. The vehicles continued on their way.

Almira Sendi, a journalist from Tuva, said that “the actions of Saylyg villagers were classified as a breach of public order,” and that “administrative protocols were drawn up against the rally organisers.”

On 4 September, the court considered only Renat Oyun’s case. Another case against the former deputy under the same article was sent back to the police; the court stated that the document had been drawn up by “unauthorised persons.”

As OVD-Info found out, today the court also received cases against five more people: Sayana Khomushku, Andrey Mongush, Regina Sat, Mira Oyun, and Sergey Kozlov. They are also being charged with participation in a protest which caused an obstruction to traffic.

  • According to the Kontur.Fokus business registry, two legal entities named “Artel of Diggers ‘Oyna’” are registered in Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva in southern Siberia. The companies are owned by Anatoly Dudko, Viktor Dudko, Oleg Dudko, and five others.
  • According to Siberian Express, Oleg Dudko was for a long time a deputy in Tuva’s Supreme Khural (regional parliament) from United Russia. His son Anatoly is currently a Khural deputy from the New People party.