Investigators expand case qualification of attack on Milashina and Nemov in Chechnya

Chechen investigators have combined the attack cases on the journalist, Elena Milashina, and the advocate, Alexander Nemov, into one case and significantly expanded the list of articles, by adding, among other things, interfering in the victims' professional activities.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 5, the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF) reported that Chechen investigators had opened a criminal case on the attack on Milashina and Nemov under articles on deliberate infliction of moderate and light bodily harm. A lawyer from the "Team against Torture" (TaT) has demanded to provide Milashina with state protection for holding investigative actions in Chechnya in connection with the threat to her life.

The criminal cases initiated after the attack on Nemov and Milashina have been combined into one; the taxi driver, in which they travelled from the airport to the court, was also recognized as the suffered party, the Federal Bar Association of Russia has reported.

Mr Nemov has noted that it is also necessary to initiate a case under the article on causing harm to health up to death in connection with the stab wound he had received.

The investigators have followed a logical path by opening a criminal case under the articles providing for liability for crimes against the journalist and the advocate, said Evgeny Rubinshtein, an adviser to the above Federal Bar, who represents Nemov's interests.