Khimki Oppositionist Severely Beaten and Near Death
Prominent Khimki oppositionist and a defender of the Khimki Forest is near death. [Mikhail] Beketov, the editor-in-chief of Khimkinskaya Pravda, and a harsh critic of the local authorities, was found beaten half to death in the courtyard of his home (in the village of Starbeevo, Khimki District) on the morning of November 13. He was discovered by a neighbor lady, who immediately summoned paramedics. Drenched in blood and unconscious, the journalist was transported to the surgical department of the Khimki municipal hospital, where he is right now, hovering between life and death. Mikhail suffered severe head trauma and multiple fractures and injuries. According to doctors, these injuries are life-threatening. According to them, the least movement threatens Beketov with instant death.
Mikhail Beketov is primarily known for his articles critical of the Khimki municipal administration. It was Beketov who, in April 2007, drew the public’s attention to the desecration of the war pilots’ grave next to Leningrad Highway.
He has likewise covered in his newspaper the fight for Khimki Forest, which has been going on now for two years.
In May of last year persons unknown blew up his car, while in February of this year he was charged with criminal libel. At the beginning of November, Beketov distributed the new issue of his newspaper, in which he criticized the Khimki administration and reported on the situation with the Khimki Forest, which is scheduled to be cut down. In conversations with friends, Beketov on many occasions confirmed that he had been “threatened by bandits.”
Movement for the Defense of Khimki Forest:+7 495 645 99 02; +7 917 564 86 45; +7 905 784 04 54, 500 82 36
5 Comments
November 15, 2008 at 12:12 am
[...] third in a series of vicious assaults on social activists yesterday. As we have already reported, Mikhail Beketov, an opposition journalist from the city of Khimki, is now in the intensive care ward. On the [...]
November 20, 2008 at 2:05 am
[...] the attack on Mikhail Beketov, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Khimkinskaya Pravda; [...]
November 25, 2008 at 2:14 am
[...] recent attacks on Russia social and labor activists. The most serious of these assaults was made on Mikhail Beketov, the editor-in-chief of Khimkinskaya Pravda. Beketov has bravely campaigned to save the Khimki [...]
December 16, 2008 at 10:43 am
[...] Chtodelat News: The war on Russian activists continues: Mikhail Beketov beaten half to death digg_url = ‘http://www.takepart.com/2008/11/18/russian-reporter-beaten-to-near-death-after-challenging-corruption/’; digg_title = ‘Russian Reporter Beaten to Near Death After Challenging Corruption’; [...]
January 21, 2009 at 11:22 pm
[...] recently murdered outside his home. This is no longer a job, but a question of survival. Whereas Mikhail Beketov needs blood right now, all of us need protection. We need protection from Nazis. We need protection [...]