Farid Babaev, leader of "Yabloko" Party in Dagestan, dies

A little more than an hour ago, Farid Babaev, leader of the Dagestan branch of the "Yabloko" Party, who was wounded on Wednesday, November 21, died at the Republic's Clinical Hospital.

Ruslan Salakhbekov, one of Babayev's colleagues, has informed the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the oppositional Dagestan politician will be buried in Makhachkala.

The politician did not regain consciousness. Many physicians, including a neurosurgeon who arrived from Moscow, tried to save Farid Babaev's life.

We remind you that an attempt on the life of the leader of the branch of the "Yabloko" Party in Dagestan Farid Babaev was accomplished in the evening on November 21 in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan. An unknown person started shooting at Babaev, when the latter came into the doorway of his house. The candidate to the State Duma got four fire wounds, including one in the head.

Farid Babaev's relatives see political motives in the attempt on the "Yabloko" leader. One of them told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent: "I called him up three weeks back in relation to his criticism on the President and said that it was dangerous."

Daud Garakoev, Chairman of the Coordination Board of the "Yabloko" Party for Northern Caucasus, said when making comments on the attempt on Babaev that it could be caused by political reasons and human rights activities of the oppositional politician.