Suspect of attempt on Farid Babaev, head of "Yabloko" Branch in Dagestan, detained

Today, Nizam Radzhabov, senior assistant for public relations of the head of the Investigatory Department for Dagestan of the Investigatory Committee under the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, has officially confirmed the fact of detention of the persons suspected of murdering Farid Babaev, leader of the Dagestan Branch of the "Yabloko" Party.

"There are two detainees, the official charge hasn't been presented so far," Mr Radzhabov said. "In the interests of the investigation, there names are not disclosed, but very soon we'll be able to talk about the customers of the crime."

The "Caucasian Knot" has already informed that in the evening on November 21 last year in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, an unknown person shot Mr Babaev dead, when the latter was entering the doorway of his house. Farid Babaev got four gunshot wounds. On November 24, he died.

Farid Babaev's relatives see political motives behind the murder of "Yabloko" leader. Daud Garakoev, Chairman of the Coordination Board of the "Yabloko" Party for Northern Caucasus, asserts that the attempt can be also caused by the human rights activities of the opposition politician.