Russian News Head and Critic of the Kremlin Killed

Magomed Yevloyev, owner of the Russian Internet news site Ingushetiya.ru, was shot to death on Sunday after police detained him. According to colleagues, Yevloyev was detained after landing in Ingushetia’s airport and not long after was shot. He died in the hospital of the wounds.

Ingusheti is located in Russia’s North Caucasus area and shares borders with Chechnya. Ingushetia’s leader Murat Zyazikov has been an out spoken opponent to Yevloyev. Zyazikov has been trying to silence Yevloyev’s news site since the beginning of this year. Ingushet’s Kremlin backed leader has been under fire by critics for his persecution of opposition activists and reporters. An allegation Zyakikov has firmly denied.

Law enforcement in the region say that Yevloyev was shot by accident while attempt to transfer him to the interior ministry office.

Vladimir Markin, spokesman for the investigations unit of the Prosecutor General’s Office in Moscow was quoted as saying, “A preliminary investigation has been launched into the death of M. Yevloyev.”