Police probes circumstances of opposition activist injury in Nizhny Novgorod
MOSCOW. Sept 16 (Interfax) - An internal probe has been launched of the injury of a participant in an Saturday unpermitted action in Nizhny Novgorod, the Interior Ministry press service announced on Sunday.
"One of the organizers sought medical assistance when the unauthorized rally was dispersed in Nizhny Novgorod yesterday. The police called an ambulance for the woman. She was taken to hospital and released after examination with a diagnosis of a bruise of soft tissue of her head. She said the bodily injuries had been inflicted by an OMON riot police officer who hit her on the head with a rubber truncheon," the report says.
"Chief of the Interior Ministry department for Nizhny Novgorod region has ordered an internal probe in relation to the fact," the press service said.
So far it has been established that when one of the detainees was being taken to the police several people tried to interfere and attacked the law enforcers from behind. "The attackers tore away the helmet from one of the officers. The woman who got bruised was among the persons who tried to interfere with the lawful actions of the police," the report says.
"The probe conducted by the regional police should clarify the circumstances of the incident. The Investigative Committee is also looking into the situation," the press service said.
Earlier reports said that the police detained several participants in the unpermitted rally in Nizhny Novgorod.
Yekaterina Zaitseva, a coorganizer of the opposition action was taken to a hospital from Svobody Square. Supporters said that the police had hit her on the head.
Nizhny Novgorod region police chief announced a probe into the incident.
Later head of the regional chapter of PARNAS party Anna Stepanova told Interfax about two more persons injured in the action - Ilya Myaskovsky and Gleb Kalinychev.
According to the police, some 100 people took part in the unpermitted rally and 18 of them were detained.