Daghestan/Ucciso giornalista in Daghestan

Murder of Khadzhimurad Kamalov is a Blow to Russia’s Prestige

Statement of Human Rights Center “Memorial”

On the night of December 17, 2011 we learnt with horror about the murder of the founder and publisher of an independent newspaper “Chernovik” [Rough Copy] Khadzhimurad Kamalov. On December 16 in Makhachkala he was shot by unknown on the on the threshold of the editorial office.

Undoubtedly it is a political assassination. Those who are responsible for this crime wanted to strike a blow to freedom of speech in Dagestan, make suppress those who aren’t afraid of telling of what is happening in Russia. The newspaper “Chernovik” was a voice of truth during many years, though the editorial staff was repeatedly stressed. Kamalov was the soul of it.

Those responsible for the crime push Dagestan towards civil war.

Recall that in autumn 2009 Khadzhimurad Kamalov was mentioned in the so called “shooting list”, which was circulating in Dagestan. The anonymous firing-squads threatened those who they called accomplices of terrorists with murder. Kamalov was mentioned this list among other journalists, lawyers and human rights activists (http://www.memo.ru/2009/09/08/0809091.jpg – in Russian).

We pay respects to Khadzhimurad’s relatives, friends and colleagues.

We demand the authorities to conduct a fast and effective investigation of Kamalov’s murder and to punish the guilty.

We hope that “Chernoviks’s” team will be able to save this unique edition for Dagestan and whole Russia, despite this terrible strike.

December 19, 2011

http://www.memo.ru/eng/news/index.htm