Human rights activist attacked in Kalmykia

On February 22, 2006, at about 8:00 p.m., Andzhaev, Boris Mikhailovich, was severely beaten by four unknown persons right near his house. On that day, the Elista City Court started hearing the case about cancellation of the outcomes of electing the Mayor of the city of Elista, the capital of Kalmykia, and the deputies of the Elista City Assembly, where advocate Andzhaev represented the interests of the claimant.

This crime accomplished against one of the leaders of the opposition of Kalmykia, a well-known lawyer and human rights activist, is certainly a political one and was surely ordered by someone.

Earlier Andzhaev, like other leaders of Kalmyk opposition, repeatedly received threats of physical violence, should he not stop his oppositional activities.

It is known that back in March 1993 an attempt on his life was committed. And only thanks to high professionalism of doctors he was lucky to survive after multiple knife wounds. According to Mr Andzhaev, then the aim of the customers of his murder was not to admit his publication of revelatory materials about one of candidates for President of Kalmykia.

In 1996, high officials from the administration of the President of Kalmykia also threatened him with physical execution for his engagement in Kalmykia, when being the head of the electoral office of Alexander Lebed, a candidate for President of the Russian Federation, in agitation for his nominee. "There's no doubt that the aim of the customers of this crime committed against Boris Andzhaev was not to admit cancellation of the outcomes of the elections of the Mayor of Elista and Deputies of the Elista City Assembly," runs the message of the "TsentrRus" News Agency received by the "Caucasian Knot" editorial office.