1 September 2014

Source: HRO.org (info)

• Pskov region  Freedom of speech  Harassment of activists  Ukraine

Prosecutors in Pskov region have announced they have opened a criminal investigation into a brutal attack on the leader of the Pskov branch of the Yabloko party, Lev Shlosberg, who is also a deputy in the Pskov regional legislative assembly and director of the newspaper Pskovskaya guberniya.

The announcement stated that the investigation is focusing on the indications of a crime under Section 2 (point "а") of Article 115 of the Russian Federation's Criminal Code (deliberately injuring a person's health through hooliganism).

According to the Russian Planet online news site, early investigations show that at around 10 p.m. on 29th August, in the courtyard of buildings situated at the crossroads of the roads Oktyabrsky Prospect and Ulitsa Metallistov in Pskov, unidentified persons beat up Shlosberg. He was taken to Pskov region’s main hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

The criminal investigation is said to be "working on several interpretations of the event, including a possible link to Shlosberg's professional responsibilities". The announcement also stated that prosecutors are supervising the investigation especially closely.

Earlier, Aleksei Semyonov, a journalist for the Pskovskaya guberniya newspaper, told Russian Planet more about the attack on Shlosberg, which took place not far from the deputy's home. Shlosberg said that three attackers had come up behind him and hit him on the head. He sustained head injuries and suffered temporary amnesia.

The deputy links the attack to publication of information about the burial of Pskov-based paratroopers in the Pskovskaya guberniya newspaper. Shlosberg has been investigating the deaths of the soldiers whose funerals took place in the village of Vybuty on 25th August.

Translated by Suzanne Eade Roberts