Moscow's Khamovnichesky District Court opened hearings Thursday into a defamation case against Kommersant reporter Oleg Kashin, who claimed that the assault that left him in a coma in November was masterminded by the Kremlin's youth policy chief, Interfax said.
Two unknown men attacked Kashin outside his apartment building in downtown Moscow, beating him with metal rods.
The case remains unsolved, despite President Dmitry Medvedev personally promising to Kashin that the attackers will be punished.
In March, Kashin wrote on his blog that investigators are stalling the check because they have traced the attack to Vasily Yakemenko, head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, whom Kashin criticized in his publications.
Yakemenko filed a defamation lawsuit, demanding a compensation of 500,000 rubles ($18,000). The next hearing is scheduled for May 23.
Yakemenko previously headed the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi, known for intimidation campaigns against opposition activists and journalists. Nashi has been accused of violence, but never convicted of wrongdoing.
The group won a similar lawsuit last year against journalist Alexander Podrabinek over an anti-Soviet article that angered Nashi.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.