Russian Journalist and Lawyer Assaulted by Armed Assailants in Chechnya

Investigative journalist Yelena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov were brutally attacked by masked individuals while en route to a court in Chechnya, Russia. Milashina, who has previously received death threats from Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, was traveling with Nemov to attend the court verdict of Zarema Musayeva, a critic of Kadyrov.

The assailants intercepted their car, forcefully removed the driver, and proceeded to assault Milashina and Nemov. Milashina described the incident as a kidnapping, where they were threatened at gunpoint, physically restrained, and subjected to various forms of violence, including the shaving of her head and the application of green dye to her face.

Milashina suffered a brain injury and broken fingers, while Nemov sustained injuries, including a laceration on his leg. In the past, Milashina had temporarily left Russia due to threats from Kadyrov, who has been accused of human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, and involvement in the invasion of Ukraine.

Milashina’s courageous investigative reporting in Chechnya mirrors the work of Anna Politkovskaya and Natalia Estemirova, both of whom were murdered for their activism. Kadyrov’s actions and the constant threats directed towards Milashina highlight the climate of fear and danger faced by journalists in the region.

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