Sakharov Award to be handed over on Journalists’ Commemoration Day

Today, Russia marks the Commemoration Day of the journalists who perished in the performance of their professional duties. In Moscow, this day is timed to summing up the contest for the Sakharov Award "For Journalism as a Deed".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that this year the prize is awarded for the 15th time. This year, the contest has involved journalists from dozens of Russian regions, including the Siberia, Far East, Caucasus, Volga region, Urals, and North-West region.

On this day, the House of Journalists in Moscow is visited by relatives and friends, and members of the Children’s Club of Perished Journalists, said Nadezhda Azhgikhina, Secretary of Union of Russian Union (URJ). According to her story, sponsors are rendering financial aid to families of perished journalists and do it incognito.

Russia is one of the world’s leaders by the number of killed journalists, said Azhgikhina referring to the Glasnost Defence Foundation. One reason, as she said, is that the country has lived through two Chechen Wars, but in times of peace in different parts of the country the number of journalists’ deaths continues growing.

The percentage of solved cases initiated in connection with the killings of journalists in Russia is too small; and some cases were stopped because of the expiry of the time limitation, said Azhgikhina. According to her story, it is encouraging that, although with great difficulty, it was possible to promote such cases in Northern Caucasus, particularly in Dagestan.

Having analysed the course of inquiry into the murders of three journalists in Dagestan – Abdulmalik Akhmedilov, Khadjimurad Kamalov and Akhmednabi Ahmednabiyev, the human rights organization named “Article 19” has come to the conclusion that these crimes still remain completely unpunished.

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