The Finnish-Russian Civic Forum is shocked to hear about the killing today of Magomed Yevloyev, the publisher of the Ingushetiya.ru website.

Yevloyev’s main contribution was to defend legality and the constitutional rights of all citizens of his republic. He stood away from the wave of violence raging in Ingushetiya. He was a man of peace in a region plagued by relentless and uncontrollable conflict.[:]

Yevloyev did not consider himself a dissident but said that it was only his duty to report events as truthfully as possible. Due to his extraordinary courage, Ingushetians were able to tell the world how flawed the election to the Russian State Duma in Ingushetiya had been.

We remember Magomed Yevloyev as a friend after he participated in the second Finnish-Russian Civic Forum in Helsinki in June 2008, speaking to the public and the press about the problems of censorship in today’s Russia.

We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Magomed Yevloyev.