Putin demands security forces solve journalist murder
Russian President Vladimir Putin is demanding law enforcement
and security agencies in Russia's North Caucasus step up efforts to
bring to justice everyone involved in the killing of a television
journalist, Radio Liberty reported.
Anchorman Kazbek Gekkiev, 28, was shot and killed as he left work
on the night of December 5 in Nalchik, the capital of the North
Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkariya.
Speaking in the southern Russian resort of Sochi, Putin condemned
the killing and called into question the efficiency of the security
agencies' work.
"Unfortunately, in our country we have once again been confronted
with a very harsh and obnoxious crime -- the murder of a human
being," he said. "Perhaps the most important human right, the right
to life, has been violated. And it looks like one more right, the
right to information, has also been violated as a journalist has
been killed. A young person, he was very promising and greatly
loved by television audiences. All of this makes us ponder again
how efficient our work of protecting essential human rights
is."
Local authorities blame Islamist militants for the murder.
Russian ombudsman Vladimir Lukin, who met with Putin in Sochi,
urged authorities to take measures to ensure the security of
journalists.
"I would very much like to see...another serious impulse coming
from you to all law-enforcement authorities, local and others, so
that they consider once again all possible means of safety for
journalists," Lukin said, "especially the ones who cover
controversial issues and bring matters to light."
Earlier, Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin
told journalists in Moscow on December 6 that investigators believe
they know why Gekkiev was killed.
"At this moment, we can say that the most probable motive was
Gekkiev's professional activity," he said. "This audacious crime
can be viewed as a warning to other journalists who speak about the
fight against underground militants in [Kabardino-Balkaria]."
According to Markin, it appears that Gekkiev's killers thoroughly
planned the attack.
"Before killing Gekkiev, the suspects made sure he was indeed a
journalist, the host of a news program, which confirms the main
suspected motive," he said. "[The suspects] shot at Gekkiev three
times. Nine-millimeter cartridge cases were found at the scene of
the crime."
Gekkiev's colleagues say that "extremists" had earlier threatened
to kill two other journalists working for the television channel.
The station's management took the threatened employees off the air
for their own safety.