(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the brutal attack on Dmitry Pozhydayev, webmaster of the online publication Crimean Linia. On 6 April 2004, Pozhydayev was attacked by skinheads, reportedly because of articles that were recently posted on the website. He suffered a concussion and head injuries and remains in […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the brutal attack on Dmitry Pozhydayev, webmaster of the online publication Crimean Linia. On 6 April 2004, Pozhydayev was attacked by skinheads, reportedly because of articles that were recently posted on the website. He suffered a concussion and head injuries and remains in hospital.
The organisation urged the Crimean Autonomous Republic’s authorities to locate and punish those responsible for the attack and called on them to take steps to guarantee the safety of journalists and webmasters who work in the area, which is generally considered to be unsafe.
Pozhydayev said four skinheads attacked him as he was going home. They threw him to the ground, kicked and beat him, on the head in particular, then stole his mobile phone and wallet, though not his watch.
Pozhydayev said the attack was undoubtedly connected to his work on the website, which supports Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Kunizin. The website recently carried articles criticising local Communist Party leader Leonid Grach and one of his associates, Mykhailo Bakharev, publisher of the newspaper “Crimska Pravda”, for which Pozhydayev once worked. The website also ran a series of articles about skinheads in Crimea.
