In Dagestan, human rights activist accused of breaching CTO regime

Zarema Bagautdinova, an activist of the Dagestani regional public organization (DRPO) "Pravozaschita" (Advocacy) was summoned to the magistrate court on charges of breaching the counterterrorist operation (CTO) regime, said an officer of the court. Bagautdinova associates this accusation of an administrative offense with her human rights activities.

On May 6, Zarema Bagautdinova was detained by policemen, when trying to film by means of her mobile phone a search conducted in the house of a resident of Buynaksk, said Aisha Selimkhanova, another "Pravozaschita" activist. Later, Bagautdinova was released from the police station, but her mobile phone was broken.

On May 6, power agents blew up three private houses in Buynaksk, local residents have reported. According to the city police department, high power improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were found in these houses. However, residents of the houses claimed that the IEDs had planted there by power agents during the searches.

According to Bagautdinova, her administrative case was initiated on the same day, when the houses were destroyed. She was told that her attempt to video the process was the cause for instituting the administrative proceedings.