Anniversaries of Russian journalist murders pile up

Muzaffar Suleymanov/ CPJ Europe and Central Asia Research Associate

Last week, I was preparing to write a column about the anniversary of Paul Klebnikov's murder. The American editor of Forbes-Russia was murdered contract-style nine years ago in Moscow at the age of 41. 

He had investigated connections between Russian business and organized crime, as well as ethnic and political tensions in Chechnya. Despite numerous official promises to solve the July 9, 2004, killing, Klebnikov's murderers-as well whoever ordered him killed- are still nowhere near the dock.

Instead of writing about Klebnikov's case, I was tasked with reporting on yet another deadly assault in Russia. Journalist Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev was shot dead on July 9, 2013, outside his home in Dagestan, a volatile republic in Russia's North Caucasus. A cardiologist by training, he built a second career in journalism and reported for independent outlets Novoye Delo and Kavskazsky Uzel.

Akhmednabiyev is the 18th journalist murdered in Russia in the past decade and the 36th since CPJ began keeping records in 1992.

As is happens, today is the anniversary of another high-profile murder: Natalya Estemirova, a prominent rights activist who contributed reporting to the Moscow-based independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta and Kavskazsky Uzel, was abducted near her house in Grozny, Chechnya, and shot dead in the neighboring region of Ingushetia on July 15, 2009.

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