Russian children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov has demanded state protection for his assistant Anna Levchenko, who, according to him, is swamped with threats from pedophiles, Russian media reported Wednesday.
Levchenko runs a center that monitors websites and social networks for child pornography and exposes pedophiles, Astakhov explained in an interview with the state-run Rossiya 24 television channel. She receives calls, messages and emails threatening to kill her, he said.
“We've already identified these people — they are consumers of child pornography,” Astakhov was cited by Interfax news agency as saying Wednesday. All the calls have been recorded and the messages saved in order to help law enforcement officers locate and arrest offenders, he added.
A criminal case has been launched into the matter, police spokespeople told Interfax, and Levchenko will receive the protection she needs.