Disinfectant Sprayed and Forced Head Shaving... Russian Journalist Facing Winter Assaulted in Group in Chechnya

Forced Head Shaving and Green Dye Sprayed Causing Brain Damage
Received Death Threats After Investigating Chechen Human Rights Violations

Elena Milashina, a journalist from the Russian independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta who had suddenly gone silent before her visit to South Korea, was reportedly attacked by assailants in Chechnya, southern Russia.

On the 4th (local time), major foreign media including The New York Times and Novaya Gazeta reported that Milashina was assaulted and injured by masked assailants while on her way to Grozny, the capital of Chechnya.

Elena Milashina, a reporter for the Russian independent media outlet "Novaya Gazeta," was attacked by assailants while traveling to Grozny, the capital of the republic. On the left is a photo of Milashina arriving at the hospital after the assault.
[Photo by AP and Yonhap News]

According to Novaya Gazeta, she was traveling with lawyer Alexander Nemov to cover the trial of Zarema Musayeva, the mother of an exiled Chechen opposition activist. The assailants blocked their car and destroyed documents and equipment.

They even beat them with clubs and confiscated their phones. They forcibly cut Milashina’s hair and sprayed a green substance all over her face and body. This dye is a disinfectant substance that has also been used to attack other Russian dissidents such as opposition activist Alexei Navalny.

Milasina said in a video released on Telegram, "This just hadn't happened for a while, but it was a typical kidnapping."
[Photo by EPA·Yonhap News]

As a result, Milashina suffered brain damage and broken fingers and lost consciousness several times.

Milashina was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at 'GlobalFact 10,' an international fact-checking conference held at COEX in Seoul from June 28 to 30, but suddenly lost contact, and Finnish investigative journalist Jessica Aro gave the keynote speech instead. Milashina had exposed human rights abuses in Chechnya, received death threats from the Chechen leader, and had been living in the United States after seeking asylum in Russia last year.

In a video posted on Telegram, Milashina said, "This was a typical kidnapping, it just hadn’t happened for a while." Reporters Without Borders condemned the attack as "shocking and barbaric."

Six Novaya Gazeta Journalists Killed Over the Past 30 Years

Six journalists from Novaya Gazeta have been killed over the past 30 years. Dmitry Muratov, the editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.

Milashina has also received awards such as the 'Louis M. Lyons Award for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism' and the 'International Women of Courage Award' from the U.S. Department of State. Journalists from this media outlet, including Milashina, fled Russia after their publishing activities were blocked following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and have continued reporting in exile.

A spokesperson for the Russian government said at a press briefing on the 4th, "We are actively discussing responses to this very serious attack."

However, Memorial, a human rights organization currently banned in Russia, criticized the Russian government, stating there is no doubt that Russian and Chechen authorities "act together."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.