According to the editor-in-chief of Grazhdanskoye Soglasiye, Anatoliy Yurov, Sergey was attacked two days earlier in the town of Khimki, near Moscow and died later of his injuries. The attack was reported by the victim’s wife to the police who allegedly failed to record the incident, reports say.

“It is important that this tragic death is independently investigated and the findings made public,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary.” Given the track record of Russian authorities in previous investigations of journalists’ murders, this will be a test case for authorities to show transparency and professionalism if their claims are to be believed by journalists and the public.”

The police authorities in Moscow contest the family’s account telling reporters that the journalist died of poisoning and that “forensic experts have ruled out a violent death”.

“There is such a contradiction here that an investigation is needed,” said White. “When police claims fail to produce irrefutable evidence foul play cannot be ruled out.”

The IFJ criticised the Russian justice system for failing to prosecute the killers of Anna Politkovskaya, noting that “a combination of shameful incompetence and official complacency have failed to deliver justice to the Polikovskaya family and to her colleagues”. This followed the acquittal in February of three men charged with her murder.

The death of Anastasia Baburova, a journalist for the investigative newspaper Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper of  Anna Politkovskaya, who was killed in January remains unresolved.

For further information contact IFJ on +32 2 235 2207

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 123 countries worldwide