Radio “Azatlyk” reports that on 9 June journalist Soltan Achilova was assaulted in the city of Yoloten, Mary province.
Yoloten is Achilova’s home town which she often travels to in order to visit her relatives.
— On that day I was heading to a commemoration dinner at my neighbours’ house.I noticed a white foreign-made car when I was leaving home.
The driver made a phone call and started following me, then waited outside the neighbours’ house where I spent about half an hour.After I got back out to the street, I spotted two bicycle riders aged 16-17 who approached me to ask why I had been taking photos of their house.
I did not take any photos, and told the young boys that.One of them stood in my way while another one seized my bag and initiated a fight.
He knocked me down and I fell.Fortunately, he did not grab my bag as passers-by appeared in time to help me, — the journalist says.
According to Achilova, upon her return to her relatives’ house, the road police officers had arrived to tow away their car.
When asked why this was done, they were informed that they had been instructed “to keep the vehicle under surveillance until Achilova returns to Ashgabat”. For this reason the car had not been returned to the owners for two days.
Soltan Achilova was recently prevented from making a video at the Eternal Flame memorial on 9 May.