On Monday, October 13, 2025, French police arrested four men in connection with a suspected assassination plot targeting Vladimir Osechkin, a Russian human rights activist living in exile in France. The arrests, which were announced by France’s national anti-terror prosecution office (PNAT) on Thursday evening, have cast a spotlight on the perils faced by dissidents who challenge the Russian state—even far from home.
The investigation, led by the General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI)—France’s premier counter-espionage and counterterrorism agency—has gripped the attention of both French and international observers. According to Le Parisien and multiple wire services, the four suspects, aged between 26 and 38, were detained in a coordinated operation. Authorities have not officially disclosed their nationalities, but reporting from Le Parisien and AFP indicates that some of those arrested are French citizens, while others hail from Dagestan, a republic in Russia’s North Caucasus region.
While prosecutors have not publicly named Osechkin as the intended target, Le Parisien identified him as the focus of the alleged plot. Osechkin, who resides in the southwestern French resort town of Biarritz, has become well known for his relentless work exposing abuses in the notoriously harsh Russian prison system. He is the founder of Gulagu.net, a rights group that has published hundreds of videos and testimonies revealing torture, rape, and corruption behind bars in Russia.
Osechkin’s activism has not come without personal cost. He fled Russia under mounting pressure from authorities and sought political asylum in France, fearing for his life. Since 2022, he has faced repeated death threats, with the most recent threat surfacing in February of this year. “Those who were arrested are just a part of the overall picture, they are part of a big team,” Osechkin told The Associated Press on Friday, underscoring his belief that the danger to his life remains very real. He added that he and his family are often moved to safe houses whenever new threats emerge.
The French authorities’ investigation into the suspected plot began in earnest on September 19, 2025, when the PNAT opened an official probe on charges of participation in a terrorist association with the intent to commit crimes against persons. This investigation, as reported by AFP, is focused on the formation of a terrorist organization aimed at carrying out violent acts against individuals—specifically, those who have drawn the wrath of the Russian state apparatus.
Osechkin’s work with Gulagu.net has rattled the Russian establishment on multiple occasions. The group first gained widespread attention in 2021 when it published graphic video evidence of systematic torture and sexual violence inside Russian prisons. These revelations were so damning that they prompted a rare investigation by Russian authorities—an almost unheard-of outcome in a country where such abuses are typically swept under the rug. Gulagu.net claims to possess more than 1,000 videos documenting torture in Russian jails, and it regularly publishes accounts from both victims and, unusually, from perpetrators themselves.
Beyond documenting prison abuse, Osechkin and his organization have played a role in exposing Russia’s recruitment of prisoners to fight in Ukraine. Gulagu.net was among the first to reveal that the Russian military was offering convicts the chance to join the war in exchange for their freedom. The group also helped Russian paratrooper Pavel Filatiev escape to France in 2022, after Filatiev published damning accounts of his experiences in Ukraine, accusing the Russian military leadership of incompetence and corruption.
Osechkin’s fears for his safety are not unfounded. In 2017, French prosecutors investigated death threats against him but ultimately found insufficient evidence to confirm an active assassination attempt. Still, the threats have persisted. Osechkin told AFP that he once noticed “a moving red dot on the railing of one of the terraces and then moving towards me on the wall” while at home with his family—a chilling experience that only deepened his sense of vulnerability. After being informed earlier this year of a possible plot against him, he was placed under police protection.
The broader context of the arrests cannot be ignored. According to The Moscow Times, the DGSI is investigating what French authorities describe as a sustained effort by Russia and its proxies to destabilize France and other European allies of Ukraine. This campaign reportedly includes cyberattacks and other acts of sabotage, forming part of a wider strategy of hybrid warfare. The case of Osechkin, then, is not just about one man’s safety—it is emblematic of the ongoing struggle between Russian dissidents and the Kremlin, and the dangers that persist even for those who have managed to escape the country.
The international community is watching closely. The French justice system’s handling of the case could set a precedent for how European democracies respond to threats against exiled dissidents. As the investigation unfolds, questions are being raised about the adequacy of protection for activists living in France and the lengths to which hostile actors will go to silence critical voices abroad.
Meanwhile, the role of independent journalism remains more vital than ever. Outlets like The Moscow Times—recently branded “undesirable” by Russian authorities—continue to report on abuses and hold the powerful to account, despite mounting risks. In a recent message to readers, the staff of The Moscow Times wrote, “We strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced.” Their determination underscores the stakes involved, not just for Osechkin but for all those who challenge repression and seek to expose wrongdoing.
For now, Osechkin and his family remain under the watchful eye of French security services, their daily routines shaped by the ever-present threat of violence. The four men arrested this week are believed to be just one part of a larger network, and the investigation is ongoing. As the world waits to see what comes next, the case stands as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who dare to speak out—and the importance of standing with them.