KIEV, July 25 – Police will change course and start cooperating with activists and journalists from Traffic Control, a publication that exposes police brutality and corruption, Internal Affairs Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko said Thursday.

The comment comes days after one of the journalists, Oleh Bohdanov, was savagely beaten near his home in Donetsk by two unidentified assailants following his critical report about police.

Bogdanov was hospitalized with a head injury, concussion, broken nose and jaw bones. He said the attack was most likely a response to the report. Bohdanov’s car was burned down seven months ago in a case that had never been solved.

Zakharchenko said the attacks on the journalist will be thoroughly investigated.

"Criminal investigation of the attacks on members of the [Traffic Control] organization will be under control of leadership of the ministry," Zakharchenko said in a statement. He said the ministry will "establish close cooperation with NGOs on public oversight of the ministry."

The latest case added to perception among people that police brutality and impunity of officials have increased since the election of Viktor Yanukovych to the presidency in February 2010.

Numerous protest rallies joined by opposition groups over the past four weeks called for dismissal of Zakharchenko from the post for his failure to improve police.

He was forced to cancel his summer holidays in July to stay at work amid growing popular discontent with the police.

Zakharchenko’s comment is a reverse of tone within the ministry after senior police officials had previously criticized Traffic Control, whose reporters had frequently confronted traffic police by citing traffic rules and other regulations.

Zakharchenko said police will draft a special memorandum of cooperation with the organization to make sure there are no misunderstandings.

"This joint document will define the mutual rights and obligations of the parties with respect to public control over the activities of internal affairs,” Zakharchenko said. (tl/ez)