Police source links search of blogger Butaev with militants' case

The defence of Umar Butaev, a Dagestani blogger and an observer of the "Chernovik" (Draft) newspaper, could not figure out within the framework of what criminal case the blogger's house was searched and Butaev was questioned, said his advocate. Butaev was interviewed under the case of members of illegal armed formations (IAFs), said a source from the Kirov ROVD (District Interior Division) of Makhachkala.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 17 Umar Butaev reported about a search in his house, in the course of which his laptop and phone were confiscated. The blogger explained, quoting law enforcers, that the search was caused by his correspondence on the Internet, traced by power agents, with a certain person, who could be involved in IAFs. Butaev has treated these law enforcers' actions as an act of intimidation. His colleagues spoke about the pressure associated with Butaev's active journalistic and blogging activities.

The blogger was taken to the police station for questioning under the case of several IAF members, who had allegedly participated in the warfare in Syria, said a source from the Kirov ROVD of Makhachkala. According to his version, Butaev might have been familiar with one of the figurants in the case.

No information, which could be of interest to law enforcers, was ever published in Butaev's materials in the "Chernovik", said Mairbek Agaev, the editor-in-chief of the weekly.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.