Putin reported on attack on journalist Milashina in Chechnya

Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed about the attack on journalist Elena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov in Chechnya, press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov said.

“Of course, the president has been informed. You know that now the authorized representative of the President of the Russian Federation for human rights Moskalkova is already dealing with the issue, who has already applied to the Investigative Committee of the republic and the prosecutor’s office of the republic, ”he told reporters.

Against the background of this attack, verification and investigative actions will be required, Peskov added.

Peskov redirected the request of journalists to assess the attack to law enforcement agencies, adding that “of course, we are talking about a very serious attack that requires quite energetic measures.”

Milashina and Nemov flew to Grozny this morning to announce the verdict for Zarema Musayeva, the wife of a former judge, who is accused of using violence against a government official. According to journalist Ksenia Sobchak and the human rights organization “Team Against Torture” (the former “Committee against Torture”, recognized as a foreign agent and self-liquidated), when Milashina and Nemov got into a taxi near the airport, three cars blocked their way. As a result, unknown persons beat both of them, broke all the equipment that they had, and then took it away. The victims were taken to the emergency room after the attack. Later it became known that Milashina and Nemov would be transferred to a hospital in Beslan.

Human Rights Ombudsman in Russia Tatyana Moskalkova said that she had applied to the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor’s Office of Chechnya, specifying that several of the journalist’s fingers were broken as a result of the attack. Moskalkova asked to ensure the safety of the journalist Mansur Soltaev, Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic.