02 June

(RSF/IFEX) - RSF has called on the Russian authorities to open a murder investigation in the case of Pavel Makeev, a young cameraman with Puls television station, in Azov (near Rostov-on-Don), who was found dead under suspicious circumstances. His body was found by a roadside outside Azov on 21 May 2005, after he finished a report about illegal dragster racing.

"It is unacceptable that the police have assumed that Makeev was killed in an ordinary road accident although he had been covering an activity known for its links to organised crime, and several factors suggest he was murdered," RSF said.

"We call on the interior minister to order an immediate murder investigation, one that is fair and transparent and considers the possibility that he was killed because of his work as a journalist, so that those responsible can be quickly brought to justice," the organisation added.

Makeev's body was found at 1:00 a.m. (local time) on 21 May by the side of a road between Azov and Batayisk, near the village of Lush. Police investigators said his body was located about 15 metres from a pool of blood and appeared to have been dragged along the road. It is not known whether he was still alive at the time. No tire marks from a car braking sharply were found on the road surface. Makeev's Sony video camera and videotapes and his mobile phone were missing.

Local police said they found the body after responding to an anonymous call requesting that an ambulance be sent to the scene.

The police are treating the case as a hit-and-run and, on the basis of windshield fragments found at the scene, are looking for a white car. Fingerprints were found on the windshield fragments. No road accident was reported in the area that night.

Puls editor-in-chief Helena Kravtsova issued a statement expressing surprise that Makeev's family was not contacted by police until 10:00 a.m. on 21 May, although he was carrying Puls press identification on him.

"He went on his own initiative to cover a night time car race, as he knew the station would refuse to send him officially, because of the enormous risks involved," the statement said. "It is too dangerous for a journalist to cover this kind of illegal race, which is organised by the mafia and local bigwigs, with the police looking the other way. Pavel was clearly murdered because those organising the betting do not like their shady activities being exposed."

Puls appealed for witnesses to come forward and said it would conduct its own investigation.

Makeev would have been 22 on 21 June. He had worked for Puls for two years and was regarded by his colleagues as a talented and professional cameraman.

For further information, contact Pascale Bonnamour at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 67, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: europe@rsf.org, Internet: http://www.rsf.org

The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of RSF. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.

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Source: http://www.newssafety.com/stories/ifex/russia02.htm