Reward Offered For Information About Slain Ingush Activist
The funeral of rights activist Maksharip Aushev
October 27, 2009
The government in the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of those who assassinated Ingush opposition leader Maksharip Aushev, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
The amount of the reward was not made public.
Aushev, a prominent opposition activist and editor in chief of ingushetia.ru,
was shot dead in his car near Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, on October 25. A passenger in the car was also injured.
Aushev was also a wealthy businessman and outspoken critic of former Ingushetian President Murat Zyazikov, though he was deemed a supporter of current President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.
Yevkurov said in a statement that Aushev's killing is a "heinous crime intended to destablilize the region."
Aushev was buried in Ingushetia on October 26.
Roza Malsagova, the former editor in chief of ingushetia.ru, told RFE/RL that human rights activists are concerned about the safety of another Ingush opposition activist, Magomed Khazbiev.
She said the activists believe Aushev was killed for his social and political activities.
Aushev is the fourth activist to have been murdered in the volatile republics of Russia's North Caucasus this year.