WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States on Tuesday called on Russia to investigate the death of Russian web journalist Magomed Yevloyev while in police custody.
"It's very disturbing," said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.
Yevloyev, the publisher of the independent news website Ingushetiya.ru, was detained by local interior ministry officials at Magas airport on Sunday as he was returning to Ingushetia from Moscow.
Ingushetian President Murat Zyazikov was reported to have been on the same airplane as Yevloyev, and having had a heated discussion with him during the flight, the statement said.
According to the police, Yevloyev was "by accident" shot in the temple while being driven in a police car. Yevloyev died in a hospital in Nazran, Ingushetia.
"So it is something that needs to be investigated," McCormack said. "Russian officials need to get to the bottom of it. And there needs to be people held to account for what happened."
McCormack mentioned past violence against the news media in Russia.
"There is in Russia itself, unfortunately, a sad recent history of violence against journalists who are merely seeking to do their job," he said.
"And the kinds of threats, intimidation, and violence that's used against a free press or those seeking to work in a free press in Russia have been unacceptable. And we've told that to Russian authorities."
Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
