"Novaya Gazeta" and HRW demand from Kremlin to investigate threats against Elena Milashina expressed in article at "Grozny-Inform"

The editorial office of the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" has appealed to the Russian presidential administration and the law enforcement bodies with a request to treat the article "US uses pawns" published by the information agency "Grozny-Inform" as a threat to the safety of Elena Milashina, a special correspondent of the "Novaya Gazeta".

In the material published on May 19, 2015, Mavsar Varaev, the Deputy Director of the information agency "Grozny-Inform", focuses on the Elena Milashina's article about the marriage of Nazhud Guchigov, the chief of the ROVD (District Interior Division) of the Nozhai-Yurt District of Chechnya, and 17-year-old Kheda (Louiza) Goylabieva. Mavsar Varaev expressed his indignation about the article and the activities of Elena Milashina in general and mentioned the fate of deceased Anna Politkovskaya.

"It is likely that it is Elena Milashina, who will be the next sacral victim. However, this time, it is for sure that Caucasians will not be executors. A person to execute the order will be most likely found among members of fascist organizations," Mavsar Varaev has written.

On June 9, journalists of the "Novaya Gazeta" expressed their assessment of the above material by publishing on the official website the article under the title of "Elena Milashina, reporter of 'Novaya Gazeta', receives death threat".

"There is a clear threat of murder expressed in direct and categorical manner to the address of our staff member," the "Novaya Gazeta" reports when quoting the material published by Mavsar Varaev. The journalists of the "Novaya Gazeta" have also demanded from the law enforcement bodies to secure the safety of Elena Milashina and give legal assessment of the actions of the persons, who threaten her.

Members of the international human rights organization "Human Rights Watch" (HRW) have also spoken in support of journalist Elena Milashina. Given the time of publication, the essence of the special correspondent' activities, and the relations between the information agency "Grozny-Inform" and the authorities of Chechnya, "the Russian authorities should consider that as a serious threat to life" of Elena Milashina. This opinion has been expressed by Hugh Williamson, the Director of the HRW's Division for Europe and Central Asia.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.