June 24, 2004

His Excellency, Georgiy Enverovich Mamedov, Ambassador
The Embassy of the Russian Federation
285 Charlotte St.
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 8L5 Canada

Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world.

CJFE would like to express its concern over the shooting of journalist Tagib Abdusalamov on June 18, 2004. Mr. Asdusalamov, director of the Dagestan bureau for the Russian state-owned radio and television company GTRK, was shot in the chest while leaving a café in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan. While Mr. Asdusalamov survived this attempt on his life, the assailants are still unknown. Local prosecutors are trying to determine the motive for the shooting, including the possibility that Mr. Asdusalamov was targeted for his professional work.

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression urges the Russian and Dagestani authorities to investigate the motives behind this brutal assault and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

We request your Embassy convey our concerns to the Government of Russia.

I look forward to receiving your prompt reply.

Yours truly,

Arnold Amber
President

Case file number: PL-O413