Yakutsk Protest of 1904

an armed rebellion by political exiles in Yakutsk.

The protest was sparked by circulars issued by the Irkutsk governor-general P. I. Kutaisov ordering the punishment of exiles for unauthorized absence from the city and prohibiting them from communicating with other exiles transported under guard. On February 18, 56 armed exiles gathered at the house of the Yakut Romanov and drafted an open letter to the Yakutsk governor demanding the repeal of Kutaisov’s instructions. The house was cordoned off by police, cossacks, and soldiers. On March 4 the authorities provoked V. K. Kurnatovskii into shooting; two soldiers were killed. The besiegers opened fire, killing E. P. Matlakhov and wounding I. L. Khatskevich and A. A. Kostiushko-Valiuzhanich. On March 7 the exiles surrendered.

The Yakutsk District Court sentenced the remaining 55 exiles, including seven women, to 12 years of hard labor. The punishment meted out to the “Romanovites” aroused the indignation of the Siberian political exiles and caused demonstrations all over Russia. After the Manifesto of Oct. 17, 1905, all the Romanovites were released on October 26.