Fingers broken and documents destroyed: journalist and lawyer brutally beaten in Chechnya
Unidentified masked individuals have attacked and brutally beaten Novaya Gazeta journalist Yelena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov in Chechnya. [Chechnya is a federal subject of Russia; the Ukrainian parliament has recognised it as temporarily Russian-occupied territory of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.] Milashina's fingers were broken and the victims' equipment and documents were destroyed.
Source: Russian opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta; Latvia-based Russian media outlet Meduza on Telegram
Quote: "Elena Milashina, a journalist for Novaya Gazeta, and lawyer Alexander Nemov were assaulted in Chechnya today. Unidentified masked individuals confronted them on their way from the airport to Grozny [the capital of Chechnya – ed.] and brutally beat them, destroying their equipment and documents."
Details: The journalist was reported to have arrived in Chechnya on a work trip.
Milashina and Nemov were on their way to a court hearing in the case of Zarema Musayeva, who was abducted by Chechen security forces. The verdict was due to be issued on 4 July.
Lawyer Nemov represents Musayeva in court.
The car in which the journalist and the lawyer were travelling was blocked by three cars carrying armed men. Several masked men savagely beat Milashina and Nemov with batons and kicked them, took away their phones, and destroyed their equipment and documents.
Milashina had several of her fingers broken as the unknown assailants demanded the passcode for her phone. In addition, Meduza reports that her hair was shaved off and bright green dye was poured on her head, but it is as yet unclear whether this was done by the assailants or in the hospital during an MRI scan. Nemov sustained a stab wound to the leg among other injuries.
The victims were taken to a hospital in Grozny. According to Sergei Babinets, leader of Team Against Torture, who is with them, Nemov is "in a wheelchair" and Milashina "cannot even sit up".
The journalist was diagnosed with a serious head injury and fractures of the fingers. Novaya Gazeta reports that the results of the MRI scan that was carried out were not made public. The journalist lost consciousness several times.
Milashina and Nemov refused to testify to the Chechen police, as they "do not see any point in doing so".
However, Nemov still plans to attend the trial.
There are also reports that Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova intervened in the situation at the request of the newspaper’s editorial board.
Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
