Body-slamming Russian official to go on trial after attacking reporter on camera

Prosecutors have approved an indictment against a state official who made headlines after body-slamming a reporter over some tough questions. The man has denied any wrongdoing, despite the alleged attack being caught on camera.

The criminal case will be sent to court in the coming days, the Prosecutor’s Office in Russia’s Republic of Khakassia said. The head of the republic’s Shirinsky District, Sergey Zaytsev, is accused of “hindering the lawful professional activities of journalists by forcing them to refuse to disseminate information, coupled with violence against a journalist.”

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Khakassia located in Siberia was hit with massive wildfires back in 2015, in which 29 people were killed and 6,000 others were left homeless. Zaytsev didn’t properly discharge his duties during the disaster and was sentenced to four years in prison for criminal negligence which had led to fatalities in his district.

He was granted amnesty and even kept his job to oversee the reconstruction of homes for the survivors of the blaze. But this project dragged on for years and resulted in poor quality houses being built, that were unfit for occupation.

Back in May, the regional TV crew of the Russia 24 news channel tried to interview Zaytsev at his workplace in the administration, but things didn’t go as planned.

The official became aggressive after being asked questions about the failed program to rebuild houses for wildfire survivors, as well as about corruption and his criminal past.
He started pushing the reporter and his cameraman out of the office, while shouting obscenities at them.

But they refused to leave and demanded answers, which saw Zaytsev completely losing his nerve and body-slamming the journalist to the floor, Khabib Nurmagomedov style.

The whole incident was filmed on camera and aired on state TV, causing a widespread public outcry. The ruling United Russia party swiftly canceled Zaytsev’s membership, calling his actions “a bureaucratic delirium.”

During the pre-trial investigation, the official denied his guilt and refused to testify. He blamed the journalist for being a “professional provocateur” and filed a complaint with the police against him.

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