Mari language
In 2005, the Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts expressed concerns about alleged Russian violations of human and cultural rights of the Mari people, who are ethnically related to the Estonian people. Estonian Institute for Human Rights claims Russia persecutes Mari journalists and oppositions leaders. Several journalists have been killed while in the cultural sphere TV and radio programmes in Mari language in the autonomous Republic of Mari El are restricted to a minimum of a brief news segment on the TV and Mari language radio broadcasting has been severely curtailed as well. The EU subsequently passed a resolution strongly condemning the violations of human rights by the Russian authorities in Mari El.