By Country / Russia
Suspect Detained For Attack On Kabardino-Balkarian Minister
April 04, 2006
Zaur Tutov, culture minister in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria (file photo) (ITAR-TASS)
Prosecutors questioned another three people but did not take them into custody.
Zaur Tutov, who is also a celebrated singer, was attacked in Moscow on April 1 by several men, who he says shouted racist abuse at him. He suffered concussion and a fractured jaw. He remains in hospital.
Russian prosecutors have classified the attack as a hate crime rather than hooliganism, drawing praise from Russia's human rights ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin.
There has been a surge in racially motivated attacks in Russia, many directed against people from the Caucasus and Central Asia. Human rights critics accuse the Russian authorities of failing to treat such attacks seriously.
(RIA Novosti, Interfax)