Fergie's Tech Blog

Russian Web Dissident Killed

A Reuters newswire article, via InformationWeek, reports that:

The owner of an opposition Internet news site in Russia's troubled Ingushetia region was shot dead on Sunday after police detained him, his colleagues said.

Magomed Yevloyev, owner of the Ingushetiya.ru Internet site, was a vocal critic of the region's Kremlin-backed administration which is accused by critics of crushing dissent and free speech.

Interfax quoted the Russian prosecutor's office as saying an investigation into the death had been launched.

A posting on Yevloyev's site -- which has been the subject of repeated official attempts to close it down -- said he was shot after police detained him when he landed in Ingushetia's airport.

It said he was taken to hospital but died from his injuries. The site also called on "all those who are not indifferent" to his killing to gather for a demonstration in Nazran, Ingushetia's biggest town.

More here.

Note: According to a report on RIA Novosti, the police say he was "shot accidentally".

Hat-tip: IntelFusion.net. -ferg

posted by Fergie @ 8/31/2008 11:45:00 AM