Maria VyatchinaMultan case. What does being a “foreigner” mean in the Russian Empire?
The “Multan case”, initiated in 1892, took its place among numerous false accusations of blood libel and once again demonstrated how the Russian Empire treats ethnic minorities. Accused of the ritual murder of a Russian peasant, the Udmurts endured torture and spent several years in prison until, thanks to the intervention of human rights activists and wide publicity, they received a well-deserved acquittal. In addition to interrogation methods inherited by today's Russia, an ethnographer approaching his work from pro-imperial position also played an essential role in the prosecution.