The
Observatory has been informed of the attack on Elena
Milashina,
an investigative journalist for Novaya
Gazeta who
reports on corruption and human rights violations in the North
Caucasus and Chechnya1.
The Observatory has also been informed about the attack on
human rights lawyer Alexander
Nemov,
who
has worked extensively in the defence of human rights in Chechnya and
collaborates with the Memorial Human Rights Defence Centre.
Early
in the morning on July 4, 2023, unidentified armed people wearing
face masks blocked the cars of Alexander Nemov and Elena Milashina
while they were on their way from the airport to Grozny, Chechnya.
They were brutally kicked, including in the face, threatened with
death, had a gun held to their heads, and had their equipment taken
away and smashed. While being beaten, they were told: "You have
been warned. Get out of here and do not write anything”. Ms
Milashina’s head was shaved and covered in green during the attack.
As
a result of these beatings, Alexander Nemov has difficulty speaking
and moving around. Elena Milashina's fingers are broken, has bruises
all over her body and has lost consciousness several times since the
attack.
Alexander
Nemov and Elena Milashina were first hospitalised in Chechnya and
then transported to the North Caucasus Multidisciplinary Medical
Centre in Beslan, North Ossetia, where they were still hospitalised
at the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal. While the victims
were still in hospital in Chechnya, a Chechen police officer came
there to take their statements. Ms Milashina and Mr Nemov refused as
they do
not believe investigations will be conducted.
Ms
Milashina and Mr Nemov had travelled to Grozny to attend the verdict
against Zarema Moussaïeva, the wife of a former Russian federal
judge of Chechen origin, Saïdi Iangoulbaïev, who has become an
opponent of Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic. Arrested in
January 2022 in the north of Russia by Chechen law enforcement
officers, Ms Moussayeva was forcibly returned to the Caucasus. During
the verdict hearing, which took place in the morning of July 4, 2023,
Ms Moussayeva was convicted for "fraud" and "use of
force" against a police officer and sentenced to five and a
half years in prison.
The
Observatory recalls that this is not the first time that Elena
Milashina has been attacked for her legitimate human rights
activities. On February 6, 2020, while visiting Grozny to attend a
trial, Ms Milashina and human rights lawyer Marina
Dubrovina
were attacked and beaten by unknown female assailants in the lobby of
the Kontinental hotel they stayed in. Novaya
Gazeta
reported on February 8, 2022 that Milashina had been forced to leave
Russia due to threats against her.
The
Observatory strongly condemns the attack against Alexander Nemov and
Elena Milashina and calls on the Russian authorities to carry out an
independent investigation into the above-mentioned acts.
The
Observatory urges the authorities in Russia to put an immediate end
to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against
Alexander Nemov, Elena Milashina and all human rights defenders and
organisations in the country.
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