Yelena Vasileva, a member of the political council of Russia’s opposition Solidarity movement, was attacked and beaten on a train from Tambov to Moscow on the evening of April 6.
Vasileva had been in Tambov to participate in a Solidarity conference there.
Vasileva told RFE/RL's Russian Service that she noticed a man following her in Tambov. He later approached her on the train and said: “We’ll teach you to come to the Tambov region.” He then struck her in the chest.
Vasileva lost consciousness and was hospitalized overnight as a result.
According to the opposition website kasparov.ru, Vasileva had been harassed and followed throughout her time in Tambov. In addition, the conference had to be postponed one day because the owner of the planned venue pulled out of the agreement. The local organizer of the conference, Vasily Sytnik, received a threatening letter at his home address.
Earlier this month, at least two assailants beat human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov, who is also a leader of the Solidarity movement, outside his home in Moscow.
(by Robert Coalson)
Vasileva had been in Tambov to participate in a Solidarity conference there.
Vasileva told RFE/RL's Russian Service that she noticed a man following her in Tambov. He later approached her on the train and said: “We’ll teach you to come to the Tambov region.” He then struck her in the chest.
Vasileva lost consciousness and was hospitalized overnight as a result.
According to the opposition website kasparov.ru, Vasileva had been harassed and followed throughout her time in Tambov. In addition, the conference had to be postponed one day because the owner of the planned venue pulled out of the agreement. The local organizer of the conference, Vasily Sytnik, received a threatening letter at his home address.
Earlier this month, at least two assailants beat human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov, who is also a leader of the Solidarity movement, outside his home in Moscow.
(by Robert Coalson)