Journalists of "Caucasian Knot" and "Zhitel" beaten in Astrakhan during elections

In Astrakhan, in the yard of Gymnasium No. 4, deputy of the regional duma and his retinue beat journalists of the Internet media "Caucasian Knot" and Astrakhan-based newspaper "Zhitel" (Resident), who tried to film the work of the local electoral commissions Nos. 524 and 527.

"At first, we had a long and fruitless dispute with the lady - chair of the local electoral commission No. 524," said Vyacheslav Yaschenko, own correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot". "In no case she would allow me and Oleg Teplischev from 'Zhitel' to work in her precinct, because, as she said, we had no accreditation. When I showed her some articles of the law on mass media, she ignored it, and told me another surprising news - that apart from accreditation we should have received some special permit from the city electoral commission."

Vyacheslav Yaschenko told the chair that at the regional and city electoral commissions he was assured that any additional accreditation or permit was illegal, and that nobody had signed any statements restricting the work of journalists at polling stations. The chair then telephoned to someone in the city electoral commission, and after a short conversation said: "I don't permit!"

"She called a militiaman for help, who politely accompanied us to the exit," Vyacheslav Yaschenko recollects. "I began calling observers into the foyer for interviewing in front of the camera and interrogating voters. At that moment, five sound fellows in black leather jackets came up to me; guys of rather gloomy appearance. One of them began shouting at me that I stopped my hooliganism. At the same time, some short man with a badge of a deputy of the regional duma began shouting at Oleg Teplischev who stood beside me. In his shout I could hardly discern a question: 'What have you beaten the woman for?' Full absurdity. We tried to escape outside from that madness."

Vyacheslav said that in the street he began videoing the performance of the children artistic group. At that moment he was attacked by unidentified persons right on the front stairs of the Gymnasium, who tried to take away his video camera. During the scuffle they loudly abused him. This scene took place in the eyes of children, their parents and militiamen.

"Oleg tried to push me aside from these bullies, and we tried to escape through the back yard of the school," Vyacheslav Yaschenko continued. "There, we were caught up by the man with the deputy badge and his bandits. The deputy began shouting at us, asking what right we had to film, what we did there, and all such ravings. When they caught up with us, the fight for the camera continued. <…> Since the bandits were rather flaccid (for example, their blows at my solar plexus and knees were not strong), the Astrakhan legislator got into the fight himself: he grasped the belt of my camera, broke them and tried to crush the camera which fell on the ground with his feet. <…> Oleg interfered trying to separate the deputy from me. The latter burst into hysteria, shouting that Oleg was beating him. The bandits let me alone and rushed on Oleg. They threw him down and began kicking him. Soon the attack was over, and the bandits calmed down and left."

Oleg Teplischev later informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the deputy of the regional duma, who had organized the attack on journalists, was certain Shabanov, a member of the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party.

No comments could be obtained at the Electoral Commission of Astrakhan, nobody answered telephone calls there.

Mikhail Vinogradov, President of the Fund "Petersburg Policy" said that cases when journalists were not admitted to the polling stations were rather frequent. In his opinion, the reason is that "the electoral commissions have what to hide."