A Russian elementary school teacher who was investigated for child abuse after assigning difficult homework has accused arsonists of setting fire to her home, the Interfax news agency reported Friday.
Tatiana Porseva's cottage near the town of Zlatoust in the Chelyabinsk region burnt down Thursday evening, Interfax reported.
The 55-year old teacher told onlookers at the scene that the fire has been caused by arson but was unable to say who had committed the crime, eyewitness Alexei Kazantsev told Interfax.
The local fire department are investigating and believe that the blaze could have been caused by a lightning strike. The exact cause of the fire will be determined within ten to 14 days.
The Chelyabinsk Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case against on charges of child abuse on May 10. An investigation had found that Porseva was assigning homework consistently too difficult for her class of seven-year-olds, humiliating students embarrassing nicknames if they received poor grades. The charges were later dropped.
The teacher, who has been working at the same school for 30 years, denied all the charges.
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.
