Ilyas Shurpayev
Encyclopedia
Ilyas Imranovich Shurpayev ' onMouseout='HidePop("52")' href="/topics/Makhachkala">Makhachkala
– 21 March 2008, Moscow
) was a Russia
n television journalist
and Channel One (Russia)
correspondent.
, Dagestan
, and graduated from a local university (his specialization was philology). He had worked for TV Channel One and mostly served in Russia's North Caucasus
region, including Dagestan and Chechnya
.
with stab wounds and a belt around his neck. A fire was set in the apartment after the attack, and a sum of money was stolen. Hours before his death, Shurpayev wrote a blog
saying the owners of a Dagestan newspaper had banned his column and told its staff not to mention his name in publications. Shurpayev wrote "Now I am a dissident
!" This was the title of the last entry in his web log.
The investigations committee of the Russian prosecutor's office opened a criminal case into the murder.
On the night he was murdered, he asked the concierge to admit two young men to his building, saying they were his guests. A week later it was reported that Shurpayev met them in a park known as a popular place for gay liaisons. The two suspects were Tajikistani, and one of them had served a term for robbery. Both men fled to Tajikistan.
On 30 July 2008, two Tajikistani citizens, 25-year-old Masrudzhon Yatimov and 21-year-old Nadzhmiddin Mukhiddinov, were found guilty of Shurpayev's murder by the Supreme Court of Tajikistan and sentenced to 21 years imprisonment each. Both admitted their guilt.
Makhachkala
-Twin towns/sister cities:Makhachkala is twinned with: Sfax, Tunisia Siping, China Spokane, United States Vladikavkaz, Russia Yalova, Turkey Ndola, Zambia-See also:*...
– 21 March 2008, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) was a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n television journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and Channel One (Russia)
Channel One (Russia)
Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
correspondent.
Life and career
Shurpayev was born in MakhachkalaMakhachkala
-Twin towns/sister cities:Makhachkala is twinned with: Sfax, Tunisia Siping, China Spokane, United States Vladikavkaz, Russia Yalova, Turkey Ndola, Zambia-See also:*...
, 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...
, and graduated from a local university (his specialization was philology). He had worked for TV Channel One and mostly served in Russia's North Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
region, including Dagestan and Chechnya
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...
.
Death
On 21 March 2008, Shurpayev was found dead in his apartment in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
with stab wounds and a belt around his neck. A fire was set in the apartment after the attack, and a sum of money was stolen. Hours before his death, Shurpayev wrote a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
saying the owners of a Dagestan newspaper had banned his column and told its staff not to mention his name in publications. Shurpayev wrote "Now I am a dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
!" This was the title of the last entry in his web log.
The investigations committee of the Russian prosecutor's office opened a criminal case into the murder.
On the night he was murdered, he asked the concierge to admit two young men to his building, saying they were his guests. A week later it was reported that Shurpayev met them in a park known as a popular place for gay liaisons. The two suspects were Tajikistani, and one of them had served a term for robbery. Both men fled to Tajikistan.
On 30 July 2008, two Tajikistani citizens, 25-year-old Masrudzhon Yatimov and 21-year-old Nadzhmiddin Mukhiddinov, were found guilty of Shurpayev's murder by the Supreme Court of Tajikistan and sentenced to 21 years imprisonment each. Both admitted their guilt.