Zarema Bagavutdinova

Zarema Bagavutdinova (born 1968) was a member of a Dagestan regional human rights group, "Pravozashchita" or “Human Rights Defense."[1] She was imprisoned in July 2013 on charges of recruiting on behalf of an armed Islamic insurgency in the region of Dagestan.[2] She was sentenced to five years of incarceration.

Zarema Bagavutdinova
Born
Zarema Bagavutdinova

1968 (age 52–53)
NationalityRussia
OccupationHuman rights activists

Bagavutdinova has been named a political prisoner by several NGOs, citing contradictory facts presented as evidence and lack of material evidence. Human rights groups note that Bagavutdinova had made several critical remarks about Russian security services prior to her arrest.[1]

Activism
A map of Dagestan

The Northern Caucasus region of Dagestan contains dozens of ethnic groups and languages.[22] It has been dogged by conflicts between the Islamic Sufis, who recognise the state, and Salafis, who reject secular rule.[22] This conflict has led Dagestan to the highest levels of violence in the North Caucasus republics.[23][24] The Russian Interior Ministry stated that of the 399 terrorist crimes in the North Caucasus in 2013, 242 were in Dagestan.[25]

Bagavutdinova's work with Pravozashchita documented and publicized human rights concerns related to Salafi causes.[3] The group had been placed under surveillance and some members of the group had been searched.[3]

Charges and imprisonment

Dagestani police forces charge Bagavutdinova "maintained close kinship and friendship relations with active members of the 'Buynaksk Jamaat', was actively engaged in propaganda of the 'Salafi' trend of Islam, known as 'Wahhabism', and involved in recruiting individuals to join [illegal armed forces]."[4]

Several human rights groups have stated concerns with the way this trial was conducted. The court found its verdict on the testimony of five secret witnesses, two of which were prisoners found with weapons in their homes.[4] One later recanted his testimony.[5] They initially testified that Mamma Dalgatov, a Dagestani, met Bagavutdinova in the department store where she worked. According to the court, Bagavutdinova told Dalgatov to fight jihad against the government.[6] The court claimed that Bagavutdinova cultivated a friendship and promised to marry Dalgatov if he joined the insurgency. Dalgatov was killed in an anti-terrorist action in 2013.[7]

International response

The Institute of Modern Russia and Memorial, a human rights group which Russia has called a "foreign agent,"[8] have called Bagavutdinova a political prisoner.[9] The group Human Rights Watch has called Bagavutdinova's trial "politically motivated and unfair."[10]

Human rights groups say that the secret witnesses gave contradictory descriptions of the person alleged to be Bagavutdinova. This included different heights and ages.[5] One witness later recanted his testimony, stating he had made his statements under pressure.[5] Witnesses report that Bagavutdinova had previously been harassed by local authorities for her work on human rights campaigns in the area.[11] They also argue that holding the entire trial behind closed doors is a violation of her human rights.[7]

Russian officials have stated that there is no state process for convicting a person for a political crime.[12][13] The Moscow Helsinki Group, the oldest human rights organization in Russia, argue that while there are no laws against political crimes, there have been cases of politically motivated charges.[14]

References
  1. "The List of Persons Recognized as Political Prisoners by Russia's Memorial Human Rights Center". 23 January 2014. Archived from the original on 21 December 2015.
  2. "Invisible War Russia's Abusive Response to the Dagestan Insurgency". Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch. 18 June 2015. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  3. "Too Far, Too Fast: Sochi Tourism and Conflist in the Caucasus" (PDF). Crisis. 30 January 2014. p. 7. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  4. "Dagestan: Zarema Bagautdinova's case sent to court". Caucasian Knot. 20 November 2013. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  5. "Advocate: witness tells court that Bagavutdinova is pressured by law enforcers". Caucasian Knot. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  6. "At trial in Dagestan, secret witness testified against Zarema Bagavutdinova". Caucasian Knot. 11 February 2014. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  7. "Russia: 5-year sentence for human rights defender Zarema Bagavutdinova". khpg.org. Kharkiv Human Rights Protection group. 23 May 2014. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  8. "Russia censures Memorial rights group as 'foreign agent' - BBC News". 9 November 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  9. "Russia's Political Prisoners: The Updated List". Institute of Modern Russia. Institute of Modern Russia. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  10. "Human Rights Violations in Russia's North Caucasus". Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch. 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  11. "Advocate: witness tells court that Bagavutdinova is pressured by law enforcers". Caucasian Knot. Caucasian Knot. 21 March 2014. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  12. "There are no political prisoners in Russia - Moscow City Court chair". Interfax. Russia & FSU General News. 5 March 2014. p. 1. Retrieved 13 February 2016.  – via EBSCO's Academic Search Complete (subscription required)
  13. "Putin denies existence of political prisoners in Russia". Russia & FSU General News. Interfax. 31 August 2012. p. 1. Retrieved 13 February 2016.  – via EBSCO's Academic Search Complete (subscription required)
  14. "Russia has political prisoners - Moscow Helsinki Group chairman". Interfax: Russia & CIS Military Newswire. Interfax. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2016.  – via EBSCO's Academic Search Complete (subscription required)

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