New York, October 23, 2017–An unidentified assailant today broke into the Moscow office of Ekho Moskvy and stabbed Tatyana Felgengauer in the throat, the outlet’s editor-in-chief, Alexey Venediktov, wrote on Twitter. Felgengauer, the deputy editor-in-chief and an anchor at the independent radio station, was hospitalized, according to media reports. Security staff apprehended the assailant, who is being questioned by police on charges of attempted murder, according to reports.
“We call on Russian authorities to publicly condemn this attack on Tatyana Felgengauer and carry out a prompt and thorough investigation that leads to a successful prosecution for her assailant,” said CPJ Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney. “Authorities must ensure the safety and security of all journalists working at Ekho Moskvy and other independent news outlets.”
Ekho Moskvy is one of the few remaining independent media outlets in Russia. Last month, one of the station’s journalists, Yulia Latynina, reported that she had fled Russia after being attacked and threatened.