Watchdog

A group of unknown assailants attacked a Kazakh journalist in Almaty on November 17, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.

The TAN television station's administrative director, Yelena Ilyichevskaya, told RFE/RL that TAN journalist Nurbol Kyzykbaev was attacked at around 1900 near the company's office. She said the attackers ran away after Kyzykbaev's office colleagues heard him scream and rushed to help him.

Ilyichevskaya said she does not know the motive for the attack. She said it might have been an attempted robbery and not connected to Kyzykbaev's professional activities.

Ilyichevskaya said Kyzykbaev, 23, suffered minor bruises and abrasions and has returned to work. Police are investigating the incident.

Read more in Kazakh.

Russian journalist Oleg Kashin, who was severely beaten by two men 10 days ago, remains in serious but stable condition, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

Georgy Kvitivadze, the chief doctor at Moscow hospital No. 36, told journalists that Kashin has regained consciousness and is no longer connected to life support.

Kashin had been put by doctors into an induced coma for several days after the November 6 attack outside his apartment.

An investigator came to the hospital on November 15 but doctors did not allow him to speak to Kashin, who they say is still too weak to talk.

Kvitivadze says Kashin might need further surgery on his legs.

Kashin, 30, a correspondent for the daily newspaper "Kommersant," suffered broken legs and fingers, skull damage, and multiple jaw fractures in the attack. His colleagues believe the assault was connected with his professional activities.

Within hours of the attack, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered the prosecutor-general and the interior minister to "take the investigation under their special control."

Read more in Russian here