Malik Akhmedilov (; c. 1976 – 11 August 2009), also known as Abdulmalik Akhmedilov, was a Russian investigative journalist based in the southern

Republic of Dagestan Dagestan ( ; ; ), officially the Republic of Dagestan, is a republic of Russia situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, along the Caspian Sea. It is located north of the Greater Caucasus, and is a part of the North Caucasian Fede ...

Career

Akhmedilov was a leading investigative

correspondent A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is usually a journalist or commentator for a magazine, or an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, locati ...

for the

Avar language Avar (, , "language of the mountains" or , , "Avar language"), also known as Avaric, is a Northeast Caucasian languages, Northeast Caucasian language of the Avar–Andic languages, Avar–Andic subgroup that is spoken by Avars (Caucasus), Av ...

daily newspaper, '' Hakikat'' (ХIакъикъат, also transliterated as ''Khakikat''), which translates to "The Truth" in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

. He also worked as the

editor-in-chief An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies. The editor-in-chief heads all departments of the organization and is held accoun ...

of the political monthly, ''

Sogratl Sogratl (; ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, rural locality (a Village#Russia, selo) and the administrative centre of Sogratlinsky Selsoviet, Gunibsky District, Republic of Dagestan, Russia. The population was 2,360 as of 2010. There ...

'' (Согратль), which translates as "Mountain Village". ''Sogratl'' focuses on

political Politics () is the set of activities that are associated with decision-making, making decisions in social group, groups, or other forms of power (social and political), power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of Social sta ...

issues and

civics In the field of political science, civics is the study of the civil and political rights and obligations of citizens in a society. The term ''civics'' derives from the Latin word ''civicus'', meaning "relating to a citizen". In U.S. politics ...

. Akhmedilov was known for his reports on several unsolved assassinations of officials in Dagestan. In columns in ''Hakikat'', Akhmedilov heavily criticized Russian federal forces and local law enforcement for curbing religious and political freedom under the guise of an "anti-extremism" campaign.Editor shot and killed in Dagestan

Committee to Protect Journalists The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York City, with correspondents around the world. CPJ promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists. The '' American Journalism ...

. 11 August 2009 Akhmedilov was awarded an Internationale Parliaments-Stipendium Fellowshi

through the

German Parliament The Bundestag (, "Federal Diet") is the lower house of the German federal parliament. It is the only constitutional body of the federation directly elected by the German people. The Bundestag was established by Title III of the Basic Law for ...

in 2006 and served as an aide to Margrit Wetzel (

SPD The Social Democratic Party of Germany ( , SPD ) is a social democratic political party in Germany. It is one of the major parties of contemporary Germany. Saskia Esken has been the party's leader since the 2019 leadership election together wi ...

Death

Akhmedilov was found shot to death in a car on the edge of the Dagestani capital,

Makhachkala Makhachkala, previously known as Petrovskoye (1844–1857) and Port-Petrovsk (1857–1921), or by the local Kumyk language, Kumyk name of Anji, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Dagestan, Russia. ...

, on 11 August 2009. He was 33 years old at the time of his murder. Police believed that Akhmedilov was shot at close range with a

pistol A pistol is a type of handgun, characterised by a gun barrel, barrel with an integral chamber (firearms), chamber. The word "pistol" derives from the Middle French ''pistolet'' (), meaning a small gun or knife, and first appeared in the Englis ...

, although independent sources have claimed he was shot with a

Winchester Rifle Winchester rifle is a comprehensive term describing a series of lever action repeating rifles manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Developed from the 1860 Henry rifle, Winchester rifles were among the earliest repeaters. Th ...

. According to the same source, eyewitnesses assert that the shots were made by unknown persons who got out of a " Zhiguli" car without number plates and tinted glasses. They have also stated that had seen the car for several days near the journalist's house. The killing of Akhmedilov came after a string of murders of reporters and journalists in Dagestan including that of television journalist

Abdulla Alishayev Abdulla Telman Alishayev (; died 2 September 2008) was a Russian Dagestani journalist and writer. Alishayev was the television host of a popular mainstream Islamic television station in the Republic of Dagestan, a multi-ethnic Russian republic w ...

in September 2008. Two more Dagestani journalists were killed in March 2009.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akhmedilov, Malik 1970s births 2009 deaths Avar people Journalists killed in Russia Deaths by firearm in Russia Murdered Russian journalists People from Dagestan People murdered in Russia Year of birth uncertain