21:35, 18 March 2014

In Dagestan, four witnesses testify in favour of human rights defender Bagavutdinova

In Buynaksk, at the trial of the case of Zarema Bagavutdinova, an activist of the Dagestani Regional Public Organization (DRPO) "Pravozaschita" (Advocacy), accused of promoting terrorist activities, four witnesses have testified in favour of the human rights activist, said Ziyavutdin Uvaisov, Zarema's advocate.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Bagavutdinova is accused of recruiting, in November 2011, a native of Dagestan Mamma Dalgatov into the armed underground.

Today, the court session questioned four witnesses for the prosecution, residents of Buynaksk and Buynaksk District, who had turned for help to Zarema Bagavutdinova, said Ziyavutdin Uvaisov, the chairman of the Bar "Tradition".

"They confirmed that Bagavutdinova was really engaged in human rights activities," the lawyer told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

He added that the session also listened to written evidence of the defence.

"A document from the prosecutor's office was read out, which confirmed that Dalgatov was registered by law enforcement bodies as a person prone to extremism. Thus, the defence has reiterated that Dalgatov needed no 'treatment', therefore all the charges against Bagavutdinova are invalid," said Uvaisov.

Source: CK correspondent