Abdulla Alishayev

Alishayev hosted a popular Islamic themed television program called Peace to Your Home, which aired on TV Chirkey (TV-Chirkei), a mainstream Muslim television station.[3] He was a prominent opponent of fundamentalist Islam within Dagestan and Russia.[4] He had recently hosted and aired a documentary on TV Chirkey criticizing radical forms of Islam.[4] Alishayev was particularly critical of Wahhabism, which had taken root in neighboring Chechnya, and actively advocated for more moderate forms of Islam.[5]

Alishayev was shot in the head and shoulder by two unknown assailants while driving his car on the evening of 2 September 2008.[3][4] The attack took place in the Dagestani capital city, Makhachkala.[4] He was rushed to Makhachkala's Central Hospital, where he was operated on.[3][4] However, Alishayev died on 3 September 2008.[3] His funeral was attended by over 1,000 people.[3]

Alishayev's killing came less than three days after the police shooting of journalist and businessman Magomed Yevloyev, the owner of Ingushetiya.ru, in the nearby Republic of Ingushetia.[4][6]

U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said of the killing of Alishayev that "There needs to be people held to account for what happened. There is in Russia itself, unfortunately, a sad recent history of violence against journalists who are merely seeking to do their job. 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."[1]