Novaya Gazeta journalist diagnosed with cerebral contusion after Breslan attack

Doctors have diagnosed Novaya Gazeta journalist Elena Kostyuchenko, attacked for attending the Mothers of Beslan rally last week, with a cerebral contusion.

According to the journalist’s Facebook post, her recovery will require about two weeks. Doctors have allowed her to use the computer for a maximum of 20 minutes per day.

On September 1, 2016, during a memorial service to commemorate the twelve-year anniversary of the Beslan school siege, several women whose relatives had been among the hostages decided to stage a protest. The service took place at school number 1 in Beslan, North Ossetia.

Journalists Kostyuchenko and Diana Khachatryan (the latter works for the online publication Takie dela) were present at the service. According to Kostyuchenko’s report, the five women took off their sweaters and jackets to reveal t-shirts bearing accusations against Russian president Vladimir Putin. The women requested that a thorough and objective investigation be conducted into the hostage crisis.

On the day of the service, the journalists were detained by police. Over the three days that they spent at Beslan, they were repeatedly attacked on the street. According Kostyuchenko, the police, who witnessed the attack that left her with her brain injury, chose to take no action against the perpetrators.