Figures including the Yekaterinburg mayor, Yevgeny Roizman, have criticised the punishment given to the Novorossiysk women and Facebook users have expressed their support for the women by posting photographs of locals swimming, sunbathing and drinking alcohol on the beach next to the monument.
But while locals that are savvy enough to jump ship can prosper, those wedded to the traditional pastoral life are pushed into deep poverty.
What makes Qeshm different from Kish, known throughout Iran as a shoppers' haven, is that many locals own stores and malls.
On the outside it looks like a small, old-world liquor store, but forget yourself, walk right behind the counter, take a seat in the front room or the hallway (complete with discrete exit to a side street), knock back some drinks and chat with owner Dilip and the locals.
Now 75 years old, the restaurant attracts celebrities, politicians and well-heeled locals, though it's far from fancy.
Nine militants died in clashes against the locals, who were armed with clubs, machetes and bows and arrows.
Motorbikes weave between the large mining trucks and NGO vehicles, as locals make their way to the huge market; the airstrip is in the middle of the town, making for some scary landings.
The novel explores the dilemmas facing locals consorting with migrants.
Although the demonstration in Lerwick on Saturday was organised by SNP activists, locals report that the mood against Carmichael extends significantly more widely across the islands, with more events planned for this week.
Don't miss the local bistrot, Le Cabaret Normand, a great place to meet the locals.
Bakhrom Ismailov of Russia Without Racism recounted instances of discrimination against immigrants, such as locals frequently calling the police when Central Asian labourers gather for pick-up football games.
