ULYANOVSK, Russia -- A lawyer and civil right activist says he has been attacked and severely beaten by unknown assailants in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk.
Almaz Kuchembayev told RFE/RL that he was attacked on October 21 as he made his way home from his office late on October 21.
Kuchembayev said the men used pepper spray and an iron rod in the attack, in which he suffered a broken nose and multiple head injuries that required stitches.
Kuchembayev, an active member of a group uniting local lawyers and architects who fight against the illegal construction of buildings and mansions in Ulyanovsk, said he believed the attack was planned and connected to his professional and civil rights activities.
Police were called to the scene, where they launched an investigation.
Ulyanovsk is about 800 kilometers east of Moscow.
