In the Chechen Republic, unidentified persons attacked Novaya Gazeta journalist Yelena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov, the Novaya Gazeta editorial office reported. They flew to Grozny for the announcement of the verdict of Zarema Musaeva, the wife of Saidi Yangulbaev, a former judge of the Republic's Supreme Court. Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova said that she had contacted the investigative department of the Investigative Committee of Russia (TFR) and the prosecutor's office in Chechnya because of the attack.
As Mr. Nemov told the human rights organization "Team Against Torture" (CPT) (formerly the Committee against Torture, was entered by the Ministry of Justice into the register of foreign agents and self-liquidated), on the way from the airport to Grozny, their car was blocked by three cars with armed people. The editors of Novaya Gazeta write that unknown people destroyed the equipment and documents belonging to the journalist and the lawyer.
The CPT informs that Ms. Milashina and Mr. Nemov are currently in the Emergency Hospital in Grozny. According to human rights activists, they were diagnosed with multiple bruises. Elena Milashina has several broken fingers.
Later, the head of the Anti-Torture Team, Sergei Babinets, said that Ms. Milashina and Mr. Nemov had been severely beaten. Alexander Nemov has difficulty moving and uses a wheelchair. Mansur Soltaev, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Chechen Republic, has now arrived at the hospital to see the victims.
“Both were severely beaten by people in black balaclavas who threatened them, including with firearms. Alexander Nemov, as we understand it, was hit with something sharp, possibly a knife, in the leg. He got stitches. They were both kicked, punched, and beaten with polypropylene pipes. We reminded them of all their activity, the courts, the trials they went to, about which Elena Milashina wrote,” said Mr. Babinets in a video message on Telegram.
In January 2022, Zarema Musayeva's family stated that she had been kidnapped in Nizhny Novgorod. The Chechen Interior Ministry explained that she was forcibly brought in for questioning as a witness in a fraud case. At the same time, the department then stated that Zarema Musaeva attacked a policeman.
On June 15, the state prosecution asked that Ms. Musayeva be sentenced to five and a half years in a penal colony. She does not admit guilt. The woman has been in jail for over a year.
Elena Milashina is a special correspondent for Novaya Gazeta. Conducted investigations in the field of drug trafficking, the fight against terrorism and the murders of journalists. She, in particular, was investigating the murder of Novaya Gazeta columnist Anna Politkovskaya. In 2006, an assassination attempt was made on Elena Milashina in Beslan. In January 2022, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, called her a terrorist and called on law enforcement to detain her. Last February, Novaya Gazeta reported that Ms. Milashina would leave Russia on a business trip "due to numerous personal threats."
As Mr. Nemov told the human rights organization "Team Against Torture" (CPT) (formerly the Committee against Torture, was entered by the Ministry of Justice into the register of foreign agents and self-liquidated), on the way from the airport to Grozny, their car was blocked by three cars with armed people. The editors of Novaya Gazeta write that unknown people destroyed the equipment and documents belonging to the journalist and the lawyer.
The CPT informs that Ms. Milashina and Mr. Nemov are currently in the Emergency Hospital in Grozny. According to human rights activists, they were diagnosed with multiple bruises. Elena Milashina has several broken fingers.
Later, the head of the Anti-Torture Team, Sergei Babinets, said that Ms. Milashina and Mr. Nemov had been severely beaten. Alexander Nemov has difficulty moving and uses a wheelchair. Mansur Soltaev, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Chechen Republic, has now arrived at the hospital to see the victims.
“Both were severely beaten by people in black balaclavas who threatened them, including with firearms. Alexander Nemov, as we understand it, was hit with something sharp, possibly a knife, in the leg. He got stitches. They were both kicked, punched, and beaten with polypropylene pipes. We reminded them of all their activity, the courts, the trials they went to, about which Elena Milashina wrote,” said Mr. Babinets in a video message on Telegram.
In January 2022, Zarema Musayeva's family stated that she had been kidnapped in Nizhny Novgorod. The Chechen Interior Ministry explained that she was forcibly brought in for questioning as a witness in a fraud case. At the same time, the department then stated that Zarema Musaeva attacked a policeman.
On June 15, the state prosecution asked that Ms. Musayeva be sentenced to five and a half years in a penal colony. She does not admit guilt. The woman has been in jail for over a year.
Elena Milashina is a special correspondent for Novaya Gazeta. Conducted investigations in the field of drug trafficking, the fight against terrorism and the murders of journalists. She, in particular, was investigating the murder of Novaya Gazeta columnist Anna Politkovskaya. In 2006, an assassination attempt was made on Elena Milashina in Beslan. In January 2022, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, called her a terrorist and called on law enforcement to detain her. Last February, Novaya Gazeta reported that Ms. Milashina would leave Russia on a business trip "due to numerous personal threats."
