Elena Milashina, an acclaimed investigative journalist, was severely beaten by armed assailants during a visit to Chechnya, as reported by the Memorial human rights group on Tuesday. According to the group, Milashina suffered multiple injuries, including broken fingers, bruises all over her body, and episodes of unconsciousness. The attack took place early Tuesday morning while Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov were traveling from the airport. The assailants subjected them to savage beatings, including kicks to the face, death threats, and brandishing a gun to their heads. Their equipment was confiscated and destroyed.
Photos released by the Committee Against Torture, a human rights organization, showed Milashina in the hospital with a shaved head, covered in the green-colored dye used on cuts, and her hands bandaged. Reporters Without Borders expressed horror at the brutal attack on Milashina, while Novaya Gazeta, Russia’s leading independent publication, confirmed the incident. Milashina and Nemov are currently receiving medical treatment in a hospital in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya.
Milashina, known for her coverage of human rights abuses in Chechnya, was in Grozny to attend the sentencing of Zarema Musayeva, the mother of three exiles who has been critical of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. In February last year, Milashina temporarily left Russia due to death threats from the Chechen leadership. Chechnya, a Russian republic under Kadyrov’s rule, has been a subject of concern for human rights activists. Novaya Gazeta, which has lost six journalists and contributors since 2000, including renowned investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya, has been dedicated to exposing rights abuses in Chechnya. Russian human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the attack, ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice. She also assured the public that Milashina’s safety would be fully guaranteed and that she was being transferred to another hospital in a neighboring region.
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