Russia launches criminal probe after renowned reporter attacked in Chechnya

Russian investigators on Wednesdaysaid that a criminal probe has been launched following an assault on journalist Yelena Milashina in Chechnya. The Investigative Committee, responsible for investigating serious crimes, stated that the probe was launched into the intentional infliction of "moderate" and "light" bodily harm against Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov, as per AFP news agency.

Yelena Milashina, an acclaimed investigative journalist employed by the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, and lawyer Alexander Nemov were attacked by armed masked individuals in the Russian region of Chechnya.

The incident occurred while Milashina and Nemov were travelling in a car from the local airport to attend a court hearing in the Chechen capital of Grozny.

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Details of the attack and injuries

Milashina described the incident as a classic kidnapping, where the assailants forcibly stopped their vehicle, physically assaulted them, and made death threats while brandishing a gun.

“It was a classic kidnapping...They pinned (our driver) down, threw him out of his car, got in, bent our heads down, tied my hands, knelt me down there, and put a gun to my head,” Milashina told a Chechen human rights official, Mansur Soltayev, in a hospital at Grozny.

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According to Memorial, a banned human rights group, both Milashina and Nemov were severely beaten, including in the face, and were threatened with a gun to their heads. Their equipment was confiscated and destroyed, accompanied by warnings not to write anything.

The court hearing in Grozny

The court hearing the duo intended to attend was related to the case of Zarema Musayeva, the mother of three exiles who had criticised Ramzan Kadyrov, the Head of the Chechen republic. Musayeva, detained by Chechen forces in January last year, was charged with assaulting a policeman and fraud.

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Critics argue that it is a retaliatory case against her sons and husband, who fled the country. Musayeva was found guilty and sentenced to five-and-a-half years in a penal colony.

Milashina suffered broken fingers, bruises all over her body, and occasional loss of consciousness. Images released by the Committee Against Torture show her with her face covered in green dye, likely thrown by the attackers, and a shaved head. Nemov was reportedly stabbed in the leg.

Russian government's response

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed the media that President Vladimir Putin had been informed about the incident, describing it as a "very serious attack." He assured that the attack would be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate measures would be taken.

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This is not the first time Milashina has faced threats and intimidation due to her investigative work. Last year, she temporarily left Russia after receiving death threats from the Chechen leadership.

Novaya Gazeta, her employer, also had its license revoked. Milashina's coverage of human rights abuses in Chechnya has been a contentious topic, with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov denying the allegations.

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