Front Line is concerned following reports that gunshots were fired at the windows of the apartment of human rights defender Mr Aleksander Lashmankin, in Samara, on 28 April 2009. Aleksander Lashmankin is the chief editor of the human rights information centre Liberty in Samara. Liberty is a web resource that publishes information about human rights violations in the Russian Federation, in particular in the Samara region, as well as information on legal remedies.

Further Information

On 28 April 2009, unknown assailants fired two shots at the windows of Alexander Lashmankin's apartment. Nobody was injured in the incident. Aleksander Lashmankin filed a complaint at the Leninsky district police department in Samara but it is not yet clear whether an investigation into the attack has been opened or not. According to Alexander Lashmankin, he had not received any threats recently, but he believes that this act of intimidation could be related to his support of citizens of Samara who have been protesting against new construction projects and, in particular, his coverage of a demonstration held in Samara on 27 April 2009.

This is not the first time that Alexander Lashmankin has been targeted. On 14 May 2007, he was assaulted near his apartment and beaten with baseball bats by unknown assailants. An investigation into the matter was launched at the time but those responsible for the attack have not yet been brought to justice.

Front Line believes that this incident is linked to the peaceful and legitimate human rights work of Aleksander Lashmankin. Front Line sees this as part of an increasing trend in violence against human rights defenders in the Russian Federation and impunity from which those responsible for the attacks benefit.