In Moscow Region, activist holds solo picket in support of Musaeva

Oksana Osadchaya held a solo picket in the city of Ramenskoye in support of Zarema Musaeva, who was arrested in Chechnya in a new criminal case. The solo picket attracted the attention of passers-by and law enforcers.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that in November, it became known that a new criminal case had been instituted against Zarema Musaeva under the article “Disorganization of the activities of a penal colony committed against an employee.” Zarema Musaeva was transferred from a penal colony to a SIZO (pre-trial prison) in Grozny, and she faces up to five years of imprisonment.

According to the investigators’ version, on October 29, Zarema Musaeva attacked a penal colony warder, who was accompanying her to a hospital for medical treatment, and struck him in the neck. Zarema Musaeva claimed that she did not commit any attack.

In the city of Ramenskoye in the Moscow Region, blind activist Oksana Osadchaya held the solo picket in support of Zarema Musaeva, the “RusNews” portal reported. “However, the police interfered in the picket. Oksana posted on a magnetic board the inscription reading: ‘Freedom = life for Zarema Musaeva’,” the “RusNews” portal reported.

Oksana Osadchaya herself explained on her page on the “VKontakte” social networking service that she spoke out in support of Zarema Musaeva, who “was sent to a SIZO (pre-trial prison) within a new absurd criminal case.” “And who was supposed to be released in March of next year. Zarema Musaeva suffers from diabetes, and even in the penal colony she was not always provided with medical care. So, her health state often worsens, and Zarema Musaeva may not survive the long imprisonment that she faces again,” the publication states.

The solo picket attracted the attention of passers-by. “Someone expressed their sympathy, and one young woman called me brave and hugged me,” Oksana Osadchaya noted.

Activist Oksana Osadchaya had been repeatedly detained at pickets in support of political prisoners, the “OVD-Info” human rights project reported.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.