More attacks on journalists in North Caucasus

After the murder of the founder of Ingush opposition website Magomed Yevloev 31 August at least two other attacks on journalists have been detected in North Caucasus. 2 September two journalists in two different regions of North Caucasus – in Kabardin-Balkaria and Dagestan were attacked. Telman Alishaev, the author of an Islamic program Peace to Your Home in Makhachkala was shot at and subsequently died. Miloslav Bitokov, the editor of Gazeta Yuga paper, published in Nalchik reportedly was beaten up.

In the light of latest events apparently the price of harrassing, beating and murdering a journalist in North Caucasus has dropped down to one of the lowest levels. While it is obvious, that Magomed Yevloev was persecuted and eventually murdered because of his staunch opposition to the Ingush authorities, those who attacked Mr Alishaev and Mr Bitokov may have been much smaller scale people. These people may have realized, that if government is allowed to kill journalists in such a blatant manner, as they did with Mr Yevloev, they can do it too.

Couple of weeks ago in the republic with the most robust media in the region, Dagestan the independent and popular paper Chernovik was practically shut down, its editor, founder and journalists had their home searched for extremist literature by FSB.

Apparently after certain point, attacks on media in North Caucasus have become easier and increased in scale. This development is coupled with worsening human rights situation, crackdown on dissented people. More things are going on in the Northern Caucasus, but fewer journalists are left to do the reporting.