Masked assailants attack journalist and lawyer in Russia’s Chechnya province

MOSCOW (AP) — Unidentified masked assailants in the Russian province of Chechnya have attacked and beaten a journalist and a lawyer. The violent incident underlines human rights abuses in the region. Novaya Gazeta journalist Elena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov had just arrived in Chechnya to attend the trial of Zarema Musayeva, the mother of two local activists who have challenged Chechen authorities. Just outside the airport, they were beaten by several masked assailants. Novaya Gazeta said that Milashina sustained a brain injury and had several broken fingers and Nemov had a deep cut on his leg. International rights groups have accused security forces of Chechnya’s regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov of extrajudicial killings, torture and abductions of dissenters.