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PARIS, Sept. 21 (AP) — French authorities are investigating death threats against a Russian human rights activist who has exposed abuses in Russian prisons, saying he was a potential assassination target in his French country.
Vladimir Oshekin, founder of prisoner rights group Gulagu.net, suspects Russian security services are trying to “shut his mouth” or scare him away from continuing his activism. His recent work is particularly relevant to the Ukrainian war.
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In the Atlantic city of Biarritz last week, Oshkin said he saw a red dot on the wall and tracked his movements as he brought a plate of pasta to his two children. The family fell to the ground and went to a safe room. He said police and neighbors heard gunfire nearby. All are safe and sound.
“My colleagues and I…are seen as enemies of Putin’s regime (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” Oshekin told The Associated Press. “He wants to destroy me.”
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The prosecutor’s office for the region surrounding Biarritz said in a statement on Tuesday that a preliminary investigation into the activist’s death threats was being conducted as part of broader measures to ensure Oshekin’s protection.
“At this stage, there is no objective evidence that would allow us to support the hypothesis of a possible assassination attempt against Vladimir Oshekin last week,” the statement said.
Osechkin has been under French police protection for the past few months and first reported death threats to police in March. On September 9, he was warned of a possible new threat to his life.
He said the September 12 incident may have been a “psychological attack” to scare him, or a botched effort to kill him. He said he hoped further investigation would clarify what happened and who was behind it.
Russian officials have not publicly commented on him.
French local and national police and government departments declined to comment, citing ongoing investigations.
Osechkin sought political asylum in France after fleeing Russia under pressure from authorities for activism in his prison. Osechkin’s group regularly publishes videos and reports of alleged torture and corruption in Russian prisons. He was one of the first to reveal that the Russian army was recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine.
Gulagu.net also helped bring fugitive Russian paratrooper Pavel Filatiev to France last month. Filatiev, who served in the Ukrainian war before his injury, later posted online what he saw, accusing Russian military leaders of betraying their own troops out of incompetence and corruption.
While Osechkin described himself as accustomed to pressure from Russian authorities, he said the events of September 12 made him think for the first time about stopping work to protect his children. But he said giving up would only hand victory to Putin and his allies.
“It’s very difficult for us and our families, but I don’t think we have a choice. We need to stop Putin and his regime,” he said. “This is not a battle with Putin. This is a battle with totalitarianism. We need to do something to win and protect democracy and human rights and the future of the Russian Federation.” (The Associated Press)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from the Syndicated News feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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