Chernovik
{{Short description|Newspaper in Russia}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Chernovik}}
Chernovik ({{langx|ru|Черновик}} for "Rough Draft") is a weekly newspaper published by Svoboda Slova (translated as "Freedom of Speech") and based in the Republic of Dagestan, North Caucasus region, Russia. Reporters Without Borders has described it as "Dagestan's leading independent newspaper"{{cite web |url=http://en.rsf.org/russie-court-acquits-dagestan-s-leading-20-05-2011,28336.html |title=Court acquits Dagestan’s leading independent newspaper |date=20 May 2011 |publisher=Reporters Without Borders |accessdate=26 May 2011 |archive-date=6 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306160952/http://en.rsf.org/russie-court-acquits-dagestan-s-leading-20-05-2011,28336.html |url-status=dead }} and the newspaper with the third largest circulation in Dagestan.{{cite book|title=Media Enmeshed in Terror, Threats and Corruption|year=2011|publisher=Reporters Without Borders|pages=5|url=http://en.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/mission_report_north_caucasus_rwb_oct._2011-2.pdf|author=Reporters Without Borders|access-date=2011-12-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320235819/http://en.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/mission_report_north_caucasus_rwb_oct._2011-2.pdf|archive-date=2012-03-20|url-status=dead}}
Leadership
The newspaper was founded by Gadzhimurat Kamalov in 2003.{{cite news|last=Mollayev |first=Arsen |title=Prominent Journalist Gunned Down In Russia’s South |url=http://www.salon.com/2011/12/16/prominent_journalist_gunned_down_in_russias_south/ |accessdate=17 December 2011 |newspaper=Salon |date=December 16, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Those serving as editor-in-chief include Kamalov (2005–2006), Nadira Isayeva, and Biyakai Magomedov (present).
Prosecution
From 2008 to 2011, following a series of articles critical of the Federal Security Service's counterinsurgency tactics, the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Nadira Isayeva, was involved in a high-profile prosecution for "inciting hatred toward law enforcement officials" and other charges.{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112205732.html |title=Four ordinary journalists take extraordinary risks to do their jobs |date=22 November 2010 |work=The Washington Post |accessdate=26 May 2011}} Chernovik reporters Magomed Magomedov, Artur Mamayev and Timur Mustafayev were also charged, along with their lawyer Biyakai Magomedov.{{cite web |url=http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/13774.html |title=ARTICLE 19 is concerned about ongoing prosecution of independent newspaper staff in Dagestan |date=21 March 2010 |publisher=ARTICLE 19 |accessdate=26 May 2011 |archive-date=5 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705101611/http://humanrightshouse.org/Articles/13774.html |url-status=dead }} International press freedom organizations ARTICLE 19, Reporters Without Borders, and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) all protested the charges, the latter awarding Isayeva a 2010 International Press Freedom Award for risking her "freedom and security" for her reporting.{{cite web|url=http://www.cpj.org/awards/2010/cpj-to-honor-brave-international-journalists.php |title=CPJ to honor brave international journalists |year=2010 |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |accessdate=26 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902115010/https://www.cpj.org/awards/2010/cpj-to-honor-brave-international-journalists.php |archivedate=2 September 2012 }} All five were later acquitted following a trial Isayeva described as "a test for the institution of press freedom" in Dagestan.{{cite web |url=http://www.cpj.org/2011/05/dagestan-court-acquits-chernovik-journalists.php |title=Dagestan court acquits Chernovik journalists |date=19 March 2011 |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |accessdate=26 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113134055/http://www.cpj.org/2011/05/dagestan-court-acquits-chernovik-journalists.php |archivedate=13 November 2013 }}
Murder of Gadzhimurat Kamalov
On 15 December 2011 Gadzhimurat Kamalov was assassinated as he left Chernovik's offices.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/8961873/Investigative-journalist-shot-dead-in-Russian-province.html Investigative journalist shot dead in Russian province], Telegraph, retrieved 16/12/2011 CPJ described his death as "a lethal blow to press freedom" and "a massive loss for independent journalism in the North Caucasus, Russia's most dangerous place for reporters". Tanya Lokshina, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Moscow, said: "Kamalov's death is terrible and it will have a monstrous effect on the free press in Dagestan. He had many enemies because of Chernovik's searching reports on corrupt businesses and the transgressions of the local siloviki [law enforcement bodies]." Lokshina blamed the murder on the Russian authorities' governing of the region: "Even if there was a personal aspect to his murder then it became possible because of the atmosphere of complete impunity which the Russian authorities have allowed to flourish there."{{cite news|last=Parfitt|first=Tom|title=Newspaper chief's murder in Dagestan adds to toll of Russian journalists|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/16/russia-journalist-safety?intcmp=239|accessdate=16 December 2011|newspaper=Guardian (U.K.)|date=December 16, 2011}}
Yulia Latynina, an expert on the Caucasus region interviewed by the Associated Press, said, "Just as [Anna] Politkovskaya's death meant the loss of information about Chechnya, Kamalov's death will mean that to a large extent we will stop to understand what's going on in Dagestan. People will simply be scared to write anything."{{cite news|last=Associated Press|title=Prominent Journalist Gunned Down in Dagestan|url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/prominent-journalist-gunned-down-in-dagestan/450070.html|accessdate=18 December 2011|newspaper=Moscow Times|date=18 December 2011}}