Watchdog

The owner of the Vzglyad media holding company in the Russian city of Saratov has been severely beaten by unknown assailants, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

Vadim Rogozhin was beaten on his way to his apartment late on March 5 and his condition is very serious.

Rogozhin's colleagues said that the attack may be connected to his professional activities.

Local police have sealed the media holding company's office.

Uzbek human rights defender and former political prisoner Mutabar Tajibaeva will receive the International Women of Courage award in Washington next week.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will personally award Tajibaeva, who spent over two years in jail, for her human rights work.

"I devote this award to all women who are contributing to the promotion of civil society in my country," Tajibayeva told RFE/RL's Uzbek Service on March 5.

Last year Tajibaeva won the French government's Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood Award and the internationally known Martin Ennals Award.

Tajibaeva was detained in October 2005 after criticizing Uzbek officials for the violent police action in putting down a demonstration in the southern Uzbek city of Andijon in which hundreds of people were killed.

In May 2006, she was found guilty of several crimes and sentenced to eight years in prison. She was released earlier this year.