Russian chief investigator takes control of journalist murder case

Alexander Bastrykin, Chief of the Russian Investigative Committee, has had a meeting in Kabardino-Balkaria and announced first investigation results of journalist Kazbek Gekkiyev’s murder in Nalchik, RIA Novosti reports.

Bastrykin responded to the urge of the Public Chamber for Mass Media to take the case under his personal control.

Gekkiyev, a journalist of VGTRK, was killed at house N171 on Kirov Street in Kabardino-Balkaria at about 9 pm on Wednesday. He was shot twice using a 9mm pistol. The police believe that he was killed for professional activities. His crew received threats in February and October.

Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded all measures to be taken to find the murderers and mobilized the most skilled investigators for the case.