Aza Gazgireyeva
Encyclopedia
Aza Gazgireyeva last name also spelled Gazgireeva, was a Russian
jurist
who served as the Deputy Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Ingushetia
. She was assassinated in Nazran
on June 10, 2009.
Gazgireyeva became Deputy Chief Justice on the Ingush Supreme Court following the assassination
of her predecessor on the court, Khasan Yandiyev
, on April 13, 2008.
On June 10, 2009, gunmen opened fire on Gazgireyeva's chauffer-driven van in the Ingushetian city of Nazran
shortly after she dropped her children off at kindergarten. At least one gunman reportedly walked up to Gazgireyeva and shot her in the head. Five other people, including a one year old child, were injured during the attack on Gazgireyeva, according to Russian television broadcasts. The gunmen escaped in two cars. Gazgireyeva died at a hospital in Nazran hours after the attack.
Gazgireyeva is believed to have been killed because of her work on the court. She oversaw Supreme Court trials involving crimes carried out by Islamic extremists and separatist groups in Russia's North Caucasus
region. In particular, she may have been targeted because of her role in the investigation of a 2004 attack on Ingush police forces by Chechen
militants. The Chairman of the Ingush Supreme Court, Mikhail Zadvornov, told Russia's Interfax news agency
that, "Aza Gazgireyeva was a judge
with 25 years experience... the reason for her murder was her professional activities."
Ingushetia's Deputy Interior Minister
Valery Zhernov called Gazgireyeva's killing both "brutal" and "brazen".
Gazgireyeva's assassination came just eighteen months after the shooting death of her predecessor, Khasan Yandiyev
. Her death came amidst a series of attacks on officials in Ingushetia and other parts of Russia's troubled Caucus region. Adilgerei Magomedtagirov
, a Russian general
and Interior Minister
of the neighboring Republic of Dagestan
, was shot and killed by snipers at a wedding on June 5, 2009. The President of Ingushetia
Yunus-Bek Yevkurov
was critically wounded in a suicide bombing on June 22, 2009, just twelve days after Gazgireyeva's death.
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
who served as the Deputy Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Supreme Court of Ingushetia
Supreme Court of Ingushetia
The Supreme Court of Ingushetia is the highest legal tribunal of the Russian subject of Ingushetia, which lies to the west of Chechnya.The Court has undergone a tragic period in the 2000s, with Deputy Chief Justice Khasan Yandiyev, being assassinated on April 13, 2008, and successor Aza Gazgireeva...
. She was assassinated in Nazran
Nazran
Nazran is a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic: -General:...
on June 10, 2009.
Gazgireyeva became Deputy Chief Justice on the Ingush Supreme Court following the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of her predecessor on the court, Khasan Yandiyev
Khasan Yandiyev
Khasan Yandiyev was a Russian judge who served as the deputy head of the Supreme Court of Ingushetia. Yandiyev presided over the trials of a number of corrupt government officials and Islamic fundamentalists and rebels in Ingushetia, one of Russia's poorest and most troubled provinces.Khasan...
, on April 13, 2008.
On June 10, 2009, gunmen opened fire on Gazgireyeva's chauffer-driven van in the Ingushetian city of Nazran
Nazran
Nazran is a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia. It served as the republic's capital in 1991–2000, until the town of Magas was specially built as the new capital. Nazran is the largest city of the republic: -General:...
shortly after she dropped her children off at kindergarten. At least one gunman reportedly walked up to Gazgireyeva and shot her in the head. Five other people, including a one year old child, were injured during the attack on Gazgireyeva, according to Russian television broadcasts. The gunmen escaped in two cars. Gazgireyeva died at a hospital in Nazran hours after the attack.
Gazgireyeva is believed to have been killed because of her work on the court. She oversaw Supreme Court trials involving crimes carried out by Islamic extremists and separatist groups in Russia's North Caucasus
North Caucasus
The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region between the Black and Caspian Seas and within European Russia. The term is also used as a synonym for the North Caucasus economic region of Russia....
region. In particular, she may have been targeted because of her role in the investigation of a 2004 attack on Ingush police forces by Chechen
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
militants. The Chairman of the Ingush Supreme Court, Mikhail Zadvornov, told Russia's Interfax news agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
that, "Aza Gazgireyeva was a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
with 25 years experience... the reason for her murder was her professional activities."
Ingushetia's Deputy Interior Minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
Valery Zhernov called Gazgireyeva's killing both "brutal" and "brazen".
Gazgireyeva's assassination came just eighteen months after the shooting death of her predecessor, Khasan Yandiyev
Khasan Yandiyev
Khasan Yandiyev was a Russian judge who served as the deputy head of the Supreme Court of Ingushetia. Yandiyev presided over the trials of a number of corrupt government officials and Islamic fundamentalists and rebels in Ingushetia, one of Russia's poorest and most troubled provinces.Khasan...
. Her death came amidst a series of attacks on officials in Ingushetia and other parts of Russia's troubled Caucus region. Adilgerei Magomedtagirov
Adilgerei Magomedtagirov
Adilgerei Magomedtagirov was a Russian politician and general, who served as the Interior Minister of Dagestan, a Russian Republic....
, a Russian general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and Interior Minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
of the neighboring Republic of Dagestan
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
, was shot and killed by snipers at a wedding on June 5, 2009. The President of Ingushetia
President of Ingushetia
The President of the Republic of Ingushetia is the highest office within the Government of Ingushetia.-Presidents of Ingushetia:*Ruslan Aushev *Murat Zyazikov *Yunus-bek Yevkurov...
Yunus-Bek Yevkurov
Yunus-bek Yevkurov
Yunus-bek Bamatgireyevich Yevkurov is the current president of the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia, appointed by President Dmitry Medvedev on 30 October 2008...
was critically wounded in a suicide bombing on June 22, 2009, just twelve days after Gazgireyeva's death.