The ECHR accepted a claim regarding the attack on a bus carrying journalists heading to Chechnya

The European Court of Human Rights has referred questions to Russian jurisdiction regarding the 2016 attack on a bus carrying journalists and human rights activists on the border of Ingushetia and Chechnya. This was reported by the Team Against Torture.

In 2016, unknown masked people attacked a bus carrying journalists and human rights activists on the border of Ingushetia and Chechnya. The transport was heading for a press tour dedicated to human rights violations in Chechnya. The passengers were severely beaten, and their personal belongings and equipment were stolen.

After the crime, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case, and the current head of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Evkurov, emphasized that an investigation as soon as possible is “a matter of honor for law enforcement agencies.” However, it all ended with the interrogation of those who were on the bus: the victims stopped receiving any information about the investigation, and the attackers were never found.

Given the zero result of the investigation, CPT lawyers filed a complaint with the European Court. In the complaint, the applicants indicate that the brutal attack during a press tour dedicated to human rights violations in Chechnya is related to their professional activities.