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September 1, 2008

Magomed Evloyev, Owner of Opposition News Website, Shot Dead by Security Services in Ingushetia

On August 31 2008, in the Republic of Ingushetia Magomed Yevloev, born in 1971, the owner of opposition news website “ingushetiya.ru” was shot dead reportedly by representatives of republican security services in Ingushetia. Evloyev arrived to the Ingush airport of “Magas” from Moscow. Evloyev was flying business class, which President of Ingushetiya Murat Zyazikov had also taken. After President Zyazikov disembarked and his escort left, the plane was approached by several cars with armed security servicemen. According to Magomed Khazbiev, the leader of Organization Committee for National Protest Rally, security servicemen seized Evloev, forced him into armored an YAZ car and left in the direction of the Ingush town of Nazran. Khazbiev was in the group of colleagues and relatives, who were meeting Evloev in the airport. The detainment took place at about 1.40 p.m. Having learnt from the passengers about the detainment of Magomed, his relatives and friends tried to follow the abductors, but they were unable to catch up the cortege of cars which had taken Magomed away.

At 2.10 p.m. Magomed Yevloev was delivered to the Central republican hospital in Nazran to the emergency ward. He had a bullet injury in his head. The relatives claim that Magomed was brought to the hospital by personnel of the republican UBOP (Department for Combat of Organized Crime) and representatives of other units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ingushetia.

Evloev was immediately taken to the operational table but it was not possible to save him: the injury was incompatible with life. Yevloev died at about 3.50 p.m. During the surgery the building was blocked by representatives of Ingush police. Relatives of Evloev were able to get into the hospital only after the operation was completed and access to the building was reopened. At 6 p.m. the dead body of Magomed Evloyev was handed over to his relatives.

Evloev was buried on September 1 in the village of Ekazhevo, Nazran district of Ingushetia. Relatives of the killed opposition leader changed the traditional burial ceremony: the burial procession instead of going straight to the cemetery first headed to Nazran. At about noon it stopped in the city center near the bus station at Tutaeva street. A spontaneous protest rally was started. A former MP of Ingush Parliament Bamat-Giri Mankiev, leaders of Ingush opposition - Maksharip Aushev, Magomed Khazbiev, Akhmed Kotiev delivered speeches. All of them considered the murder not accidental and accused the leaders of Ingush Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ingush President Murat Zyazikov of participation in this crime.

Magomed Khazbiev called for the Russian government to remove President Zyazikov from his post. In case this demand is not satisfied, Khazbiev said, the opposition would raise the issue of separating Ingushetia from Russia. At around 3 p.m. Evloev was taken to the cemetery and buried. The protest rally in Nazran continued. An estimated number of 1,000 people participated in the rally. The protesters shouted slogans –“Resignation of Zyazikov!” “Murderers of Yevloev to be held responsible!” etc. The protesters wrote slogans right on the site and posted them at the nearby buildings. At around 5 p.m. many protesters left, which may have been related to the fact that part of the crowd was comprised of passing by people who stayed for sometime out of curiosity. The majority of the protesters remained and decided to make stay until their demands are satisfied. The activists started to set coppers for boiling meat in order to break the fast. On September 1 was the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

According to the official version, the murder of Yevloev was accidental. In a car, where Yevloev and security servicemen were sitting “an uncontrolled shot from the pistol of one of the policemen took place”. The Investigative Committee with the Prosecutor ’s office of Ingushetia, instigated a criminal into article 109 p.2. “death as a result of imprudence”. As the Prosecutor of Republic Ingushetia, Yuri Turygin said in his interview to “Interfax” news agency, in accordance with the statement by investigator after his arrival to Ingushetia Evloev was supposed to be brought to for interrogation as a witness within the framework of one of the criminal cases. “He was put in an YAZ car and escorted by several policemen in the direction of Nazran. According to witness testimonies on the way Evloev started arguing with personnel of police and tried to seize a machine gun from one of the policemen. In the process of combat a shot from a pistol was made, which accidentally injured Yevloev”, - said Mr. Turygin.

Human rights organizations demand investigation of Yevloev’s death. Please, see the statement by “Memorial” on our web-site http://www.memo.ru/2008/09/01/0109082.htm