Journalists were not admitted to sentencing in Akhmedilov's murder case

The convoy service of the Lenin District Court of Makhachkala would not let reporters to the open session, where sentences to the figurants of the murder case of journalist Abdulmalik Akhmedilov were announced, said a representative of the victims.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Abdulmalik Akhmedilov, the executive secretary of the newspaper "Istina" (Truth) and the editor of the newspaper "Sogratl", was killed in August 2009. According to prosecutors, the journalist was shot dead by Murad Shuaibov and his friend Isa Abdurakhmanov was driving a car. The both defendants pleaded not guilty.

Today a judge of the Lenin District Court of Makhachkala has passed a verdict in the case of the murder of Abdulmalik Akhmedilov, finding the defendants guilty: Murad Shuaibov was sentenced to 10.5 years, and Isa Abdurakhmanov – to 8 years in prison.

Biyakai Magomedov, who is representing the victims, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the convoy service hampered the work of reporters.

"The today's session was open; and, upon a permit of the judge, it could be videoed and photographed. Meanwhile, the reporters of Dagestani and federal mass media, who came to the session, faced with the fact that convoy officers began impeding the filming in the courtroom, threatening to take away the equipment. This is a fact of impeding the reporters' lawful professional activities," said Biyakai Magomedov.

According to his story, a group of journalists turned to him for help in drafting a respective application to the Investigating Committee of Dagestan. "The application will be filed in the near future," said Magomedov.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.