Call to avoid 'mob rule' amid mass anger in Yakutsk after ‘kidnap and rape’ by ‘Kyrgyz migrant’

The alleged attacker forced a 36 year old Yakut woman into his Toyota Corolla and raped her near some car garages before taking her to be guarded by two 'friends' at a car repair shop.

The two men - also from Kyrgyzstan - fell asleep and she managed to escape, immediately reporting the alleged rape. 

The man was charged with rape on 18 March 2019 after being identified by the 'victim'. 

The two other males were also detained.

A spontaneous rally of 200 was followed by a full-scale protest meeting addressed by Yakutia regional head Aisen Nikolayev and Yakutsk mayor Sardana Avksentyeva in a 3,000-seat sports stadium with many standing outside. 

This highly-charged session went on until midnight amid scenes of high emotion.

A mosque in the city has been put under armed guard by police amid fears of revenge attacks. 

The mayor was quoted as saying at the rally: ‘We have been patient enough, but I think our patience has expired. 

‘We have to gather altogether and restore order. 

‘We are home, this is our city and we must get this message across.’

Nikolayev promised that the criminal will be ‘punished to the fullest extent of the law’.

He issued a call to avoid ‘mob law’ amid mass chants of 'Uruy Aikhal' in the Sakha language (Glory to Motherland!).

‘We are against illegal migration and crime, not some ethnic group or nationality,’ stressed Nikolayev.

He wrote in Facebook: "I understand the motives of the residents of Yakutsk who gathered spontaneously….

‘The case caused a sharp public response precisely because migrants, citizens of Kyrgyzstan, committed this brazen attack.’

Mass checks are to be carried out on the legal status of migrants during in Yakutia - the largest geographical region in Russia - in March and April, say reports. 

A call for care and patience ‘for the sake of peace’ came from the Public Chamber of the Republic of Yakutia. 

The public statement said: ‘The recent incident shook everyone in the Republic. 

‘Crimes do not have nationality.

‘We call for you all not to act in a rash and not to succumb to provocations. 

‘Please remain calm for the sake of peace and harmony in our common home Yakutia.’ 

Amid concerns over a breakdown in relations, a delegation from Kyrgyzstan - a former Soviet republic - came to Yakutsk. 

The sides agreed to cooperate and exchange information in migration.

The Investigative Committee - in charge of probing serious crime - stressed that criminal actions ‘have no nationality’.

Amid high tension it urged citizens to refrain from any actions that ‘may lead to ethnic conflicts’.

The main ethnic groups in Yakutia - also called the Sakha Republic - are around 50% Yakut and 38% Russian.