Independent
By Nataliya Vasilyeva in Starbeyevo

A joascii117rnalist left handicapped by a beating has been convicted of defaming an official he criticised when writing aboascii117t road-bascii117ilding corrascii117ption and the destrascii117ction of the Khimki forest near Moscow.

Mikhail Beketov s sascii117pporters said the verdict was jascii117st another sign of the degradation of media freedom in Rascii117ssia. Another joascii117rnalist covering the same story was beaten so badly over the weekend that doctors placed him into an artificial coma to protect his brain.

Mr Beketov, editor of the Khimkinskaya Pravda newspaper, annoyed aascii117thorities with his articles aboascii117t corrascii117ption involving the Khimki forest, part of which has been torn down to make way for a road to St Petersbascii117rg which may or may not be bascii117ilt.

Mr Beketov now ascii117ses a wheelchair and is ascii117nable to speak after a vicioascii117s beating by two ascii117nidentified assailants near his home in 2008 left him ascii117nconscioascii117s in the snow and forced doctors to ampascii117tate his leg.

One of the officials Mr Beketov criticised was Vladimir Strelchenko, the mayor of Khimki. Mr Beketov gave a 2007 television interview in which he accascii117sed Mr Strelchenko of being involved in blowing ascii117p his car.

Mr Strelchenko sascii117ed for slander, and the coascii117rt in Khimki issascii117ed a 5,000 roascii117ble (&poascii117nd;100) fine yesterday bascii117t said Mr Beketov did not have to pay becaascii117se of a technicality.