07 November 2014, 19:50
ICRF has not received rights defenders' letter about investigation into Akhmednabiyev's murder
On November 2, a number of international human rights organizations sent a letter to Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigating Committee of the Russian Federation (ICRF), asking to transfer the investigation of the murder of Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, to the Chief Investigating Department of the ICRF. As of today, the letter has been received, the ICRF said.
Akhmednabi Akhmednabiev was killed on July 9, 2013, in the outskirt of Makhachkala. He became the 17th journalist killed in Dagestan in the last 20 years and the second employee of the "Caucasian Knot" killed during performance of his professional duties.On July 30, Russia’s investigators suspended the preliminary investigation into the murder of jounalist. In the end of Septermber the decision to suspend the investigation was cancelled by the Kirov District Prosecutor's Office of Makhachkala.
"Despite the fact that in September 2014 the Investigating Department for the Republic of Dagestan of the ICRF reopened the investigation into the murder, more must be done to ensure an impartial, independent and effective investigation. Therefore, we urge you to pass the inquiry of Akhmednabiyev's case over to the Department for Investigating Especially Important Cases of Crimes against Person and Public Safety of the Chief Investigating Department of the ICRF," says the letter of human rights defenders, sent on November 2 – the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists.
The letter emphasized that the suspension of the investigation in July 2014, "although neither the gunmen nor the instigators were found," promoted "not only impunity in relation to Akhmednabiyev's killers, but also creates a terrible precedent for future investigations into attacks on journalists in Russia."
Thomas Hughes, the executive director of the human rights organization "Article 19", has again called on the ICRF and the country's authorities to ensure an impartial investigation and take steps to protect journalists and human rights defenders.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.
