Mourning rally in memory of perished journalists held in the capital of Dagestan

Yesterday, on March 24, the Union of Journalists of Dagestan held a mourning rally dedicated to the memory of Ilyas Shurpaev and Gaji Abashilov. About three hundred persons took part in it - journalists of local mass media and those who work in the Republic, as well as representatives of the society of Dagestan.

At the start of the rally, the participants held a minute of silence in memory of the victims. Ali Kamalov, Chairman of the Union of Journalists of Dagestan, who opened the event, said: "We are not revolutionaries, but we demand from the authority to protect journalists."

According to Ali Kamalov, now there are plenty of young people, especially women, working today in the Dagestan journalism. "With a great pity I have to assert that I cannot guarantee their safety," Mr Kamalov said.

Eduard Urazaev, Minister for National Policy, Information and Foreign Communications of Dagestan said that the authorities and the society as a whole shall bear responsibility for the situation, in which murders of journalists become possible.

The "Caucasian Knot" has already informed that Yuri Chaika, General Public Prosecutor of Russia, took the investigation of Abashilov's murder under his personal control. On the fact of the murder, a criminal case was initiated under point "g", part 2, Article 105 ("Murder"), part 2, Article 222 ("Illegal circulation of fire-arms") and part 3, Article 105 ("Attempted murder") of the Russian Criminal Code.

Let us note here that a premium of 10 million roubles has been announced for any reliable information about the customers and executors of the murder of the Chairman of the State Television and Radio Company "Dagestan" Gaji Abashilov. The confidentiality of the sources is guaranteed.

Everyone who has any information related to Gaji Abashilov's murder is invited to call to Makhachkala to: 8722-682730, 8722-682758.