In Dagestan, journalist is threatened for an article about murders of Derbent residents

As announced on July 12 by the Investigatory Department (ID) for Dagestan of the Russian ICPO, an investigation is underway in this republic under the earlier opened criminal case on the fact of dissemination on June 16 of a video clip showing alleged militiamen executing alleged militants in Derbent.

"On that very day, a special operation was conducted in Derbent. Under preliminary official information, at an attempt to stop a Zhiguli-21006 car at the exit post from the city, the driver and three passengers rendered armed resistance to law enforcers. As a result of a skirmish, four suspected militants were liquidated," a source from the ID told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The source named the casualties: Mais Sevzhikhanov, Elbrus Abdullaev, Farid Misriev and Zakir Magomedov. "Then, a video clip appeared. Within the opened criminal case an instruction was given to respective structures to check its authenticity. In the course of running the case, other instructions may be given," said the source.

The video clip starts with the voice begging not to kill. Then the casualties are pictured already with another off-screen voice: "You deserve it, dogs! ... (Then, obscene words followed, - comment of the "Caucasian Knot".) Here they're, bearded men!" A man in civilian clothes is shown shooting inside a car from a pistol.

Magomed Khanmagomedov, a journalist of the local weekly "Chernovik" and a resident of Derbent, believes that by such methods militiamen want to intimidate local youth. He also said that after he had published an article "Take nobody alive!" with a version that on June 16 militiamen deliberately enticed the guys in the area of the tunnel in order to kill them, threats began to arrive to his phone.

He also added that as a result of the special operation Elbrus Abdullaev, Farid Misriev, Rustam Samurkhanov and Rasim Dzhabrailov were liquidated, that is, the names differ from those quoted by the ID.

Let us remind you that Dzhamilya Samurkhanova, sister of Rustam Samurkhanov, 22, and a resident of Makhachkala, also said that on June 16 in Derbent her brother was killed and three his friends - Elbrus Abdullaev, Farid Misriev and Rasim Dzhabrailov. The woman is going to institute criminal proceedings against the militiamen of the Derbent GOVD, who had assassinated her brother.