Opposition Lawyer In Siberia Victim Of 'Politically Motivated' Attack

Dmitry Miropoltsev said he suffered what appeared to be a broken nose and lost two teeth during the attack.

KALTAN, Russia -- An unidentified man has severely beaten an opposition lawyer in the Siberian town of Kaltan -- an attack the lawyer said was politically motivated.

Dmitry Miropoltsev told RFE/RL that the man approached him in the street on the morning of August 7 and started beating him, telling him "to stop digging under the town's administration."

Miropoltsev, who has been known for his civil rights activities for years, said the attack was most likely motivated by his investigation into how municipal transportation was being funded.

"The town administration's methods of financing public transportation were found illegal after I filed a complaint," Miropoltsev said.

Miropoltsev said he suffered what appeared to be a broken nose and lost two teeth during the attack. The Kemerovo regional police declined to comment the attack to RFE/RL.