His Excellency Georgiy Enverovich Mamedov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Ottawa
285 Charlotte Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 8L5
Fax: (613) 236-6342

March 25, 2008

Dear Ambassador,

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 is extremely concerned about the mysterious deaths on March 21, 2008, of two broadcast journalists Ilyas Shurpayev correspondent for Channel One, and Gadzhi Abashilov head of the state radio and Television Company in Dagestan. Both journalists had recently been covering the volatile North Caucasus.

Shurpayev is reported to have been strangled and stabbed in his Moscow apartment and his presumed murders apparently set fire to the apartment to cover their tracks. In a separate case, Abashilov was shot and killed in his car by at least one gunman who fled the scene immediately after.

It appears likely that these murders are related to the journalistic activity and the reports they have published recently regarding the volatile North Caucasus. Authorities have ruled out robbery in Shurpayev's case. He had recently written in his personal blog "Now I am a dissident!" in relation to the fact that a newspaper had banned a column he had written. The murder of Abashilov also involves suspicious circumstances.

CJFE is profoundly concerned by these killings. The loss of these journalists is a blow to the media community and a signal to journalists in Russia of the very real danger they face for reporting. CJFE urges you to convey our concerns to your government and to call for a full and independent investigation to be carried out, and that the results are made public.

We thank you for your attention and look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Arnold Amber, CJFE President

c.c: The Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada
His Excellency Ralph Lysyshyn, Ambassador of Canada in Moscow