Journalists in Dagestan paid tribute to the memory of their murdered colleagues

Yesterday, December, 14, Memorial Day of lost journalists was held by the Journalists' Union of Dagestan in Makhachkala. Remembrance day of the journalists who perished carrying out their professional duty will be held in the Journalists' House in Nikitsky boulevard in Moscow. Its beginning is expected at 13:00.

Ali Kamalov, Chairman of Journalists' Union of Dagestan, told a reporter of "Caucasian Knot" that relatives of the murdered journalists gathered at the meeting in Makhachkala. Committee of Press of the Republic of Dagestan allotted them feasible financial aid to a sum of 10 thousand rubles for each person.

"We spoke about the personalities of our lost colleagues and the state of affairs in Dagestan. It is believed that freedom of speech in the republic is at the highest level in the region. At the same time there are more victims than anywhere else: 12 journalists have been killed during the last 18 years, to say nothing of threats and attempts", Ali Kamalov says.

"We should make our choice on our further mode of actions: either to go on speaking of major problems or depart, for law enforcement bodies are unable to secure our defense both in our republic and the whole country. Not a single murder has been yet detected", Chairman of Journalists' Union of Dagestan added.

Peter Polonitsky, Press Secretary of Journalists' Union of Russia, informed on the action which is going to be held today.

"The victims' family and friends have been meeting on December, 15, in the Central Journalists' House for already over ten years. Each year there becomes more and more of them: there are already over 300 names on the general list of victims", Press Service of Journalists' Union of Russia reported.