Ikhlov: attack on Lev Ponomaryov is an act of political intimidation

The attack on Lev Ponomaryov, leader of the Movement "For Human Rights", is an act of political intimidation, which was preceded by minor provocations. This was stated by Evgeniy Ikhlov, head of the information and analytical service of the Movement.

Yesterday, on March 31, at about 11 p.m., near his house, Lev Ponomaryov, Executive Director of the All-Russian Social Movement "For Human Rights", was severely beaten by several unidentified persons aged 30-40 of European appearance. 

The attackers waited for the human rights activist near the entrance of his house and disappeared, when the concierge ran out to the cries. Lev Ponomaryov was hospitalized to the 36th hospital, but then he was discharged and is now under medical examination. 

Today, the members of the Movement "For Human Rights" have found on the Wikipedia website a correction in the data about their leader: "Lev Ponomaryov. Date of death: April 2, 2009."

According to his own story, recently the tires of his car were pierced, and on December 28, 2008, Ponomaryov was shadowed with the aim, as members of the Movement "For Human Rights" think, to collect compromising materials on Ponomaryov.

Mr Ikhlov has reported that, despite of serious beatings, the human rights activist has no fractures; now he is under additional examination. "His daughter Elena Liptser is now at the trial, she is Khodorkovskiy's advocate. Right after the session she'll visit her father at the hospital," he said.

According to Evgeniy Ikhlov, after the incident with Ponomaryov's car and his shadowing, which was not only on December 28, but also earlier, members of the Movement sent applications to law enforcement bodies, but they remained unanswered.

Let us note here that Lev Ponomaryov quite often was engaged in the issues related to violations of human rights in the Caucasus.