Civil society group say thugs attack Russia rights activist colleagues leaving them beaten and even arrested as nation continues spiral into dictatorship

Russian police beat up top rights activist, party leader

AFP – The head of a top Russian rights group and an opposition leader said Saturday they had been assaulted by riot police during a raid on the NGO, in the latest crackdown on activists during Vladimir Putin’s new term. In a night-time raid, dozens of men swept the offices of the group For Human Rights.