11
Mar 2016
Lvl. 1
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Alert created on: 11 Mar 2016
Russian Federation
Journalists and Human Rights Activists Attacked in Ingushetia
Source of threatUnknown
CategoryAttacks on physical safety and integrity of journalists
No state reply yet
On 9 March 2016, a group of masked men attacked a minibus of six journalists along with other activists at the border between the Russian republics of Ingushetia and Chechnya, near the village of Sunzha, Kommersant reports. The group assaulted the journalists and activists and then set the bus they were riding on fire. Egor Skovoroda, one of the victims, claimed that the assailants shouted: “You are protecting terrorists and killers of our fathers”. The journalists were taking part in a press tour organised by activists from the Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
According to a list published by Pavel Chikov, a member of the Presidential Council for human rights, the six journalists injured include: Oyestein Winstad (Norway - Ny tid), Lena Maria Persson Loefgren (Sweden), Alexandra Elagina (Russian - New Times), Egor Skovoroda (Russia -Mediazone), blogger Mikhail Solunin and former reporter for Kommersant Anton Prusakov (Russia).
Skovoroda said that unknown people had been following the journalists throughout Chechnya for the last two days, but on the day of the attack, they were also followed in Ingushetia. The police of Ingushetia have confirmed the incident. The government of Chechnya has denied that any incident occurred.
Later, Dmitry Utukin, a member of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture said that armed men also attacked the headquarters of the organisation in Ingushetia. He has published videos from security cameras at his Twitter.
According to a list published by Pavel Chikov, a member of the Presidential Council for human rights, the six journalists injured include: Oyestein Winstad (Norway - Ny tid), Lena Maria Persson Loefgren (Sweden), Alexandra Elagina (Russian - New Times), Egor Skovoroda (Russia -Mediazone), blogger Mikhail Solunin and former reporter for Kommersant Anton Prusakov (Russia).
Skovoroda said that unknown people had been following the journalists throughout Chechnya for the last two days, but on the day of the attack, they were also followed in Ingushetia. The police of Ingushetia have confirmed the incident. The government of Chechnya has denied that any incident occurred.
Later, Dmitry Utukin, a member of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture said that armed men also attacked the headquarters of the organisation in Ingushetia. He has published videos from security cameras at his Twitter.
Additional Information
- Letter of the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression/UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association/UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
- Statement from European Federation of Journalists: "Journalists and human rights defenders attacked in Russia "
- Article published by Kommersant (in Russian)
- Report published on the Mapping Media Freedom website: "Russia/Россия: Several journalists and human rights activists attacked in Ingushetia "
Follow-ups
10 Mar 2016
CoE Secretary General declares that violence against journalists is unacceptable and welcomes Russia's announcement of an investigation into Ingushetia attack.
10 Mar 2016
OSCE Representative condemns attack on journalists in Russian Federation, calls for swift investigation.
10 Mar 2016
Coe Human Rights Commissioner Muižnieks says that Russia must shed full light on attacks against journalists and human rights defenders in Ingushetia.