• Four men arrested in France for allegedly plotting against Russian dissident Vladimir Osechkin.
• Osechkin leads Gulagu.net, which exposes abuses in Russian prisons.
• Investigators suspect ties to Russian intelligence services.
• The arrests underscore broader concerns about threats to exiled activists.

French police have detained four individuals suspected of conspiring to assassinate Vladimir Osechkin, a prominent Russian dissident residing in Biarritz, according to reports from the French national anti-terror prosecution office. The arrested suspects are aged between 26 and 38 and were taken into custody after intelligence services initiated an investigation driven by fears of a terrorist plot against Osechkin, who leads the rights group Gulagu.net that uncovers abuses within Russian prisons, according to Le Monde, Reuters, and Los Angeles Times.

Osechkin expressed his gratitude towards the French police for their protective efforts, noting that the arrests came after a series of death threats had been issued against him. He indicated that the motive behind the plot was likely linked to Osechkin's anti-Putin activism, revealing that the alleged perpetrators had been "filming" his residence and planning for their attack, according to Le Monde and Reuters.

Reports indicate that the investigation led by France’s General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) is complex, with Osechkin suggesting that some of the arrested individuals may have connections to Dagestan, a region in Russia's North Caucasus. He emphasized that the men are only part of a larger network, asserting that they are connected to a wider operation funded and sanctioned by Russian authorities to eliminate dissidents, according to Los Angeles Times and Reuters.

Furthermore, Osechkin's organization, Gulagu.net, has gained notoriety for exposing various human rights violations in the Russian prison system. This includes reports of torture and other abuses, generating significant attention and leading to investigations both domestically and internationally. Osechkin had previously been placed under police protection after multiple threats, highlighting the continuing risks that activists face when challenging regimes like that of President Vladimir Putin, according to Los Angeles Times and Reuters.