Vienna, 01/06/2017
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) was dismayed to learn that journalist Dmitri Popkov was shot and killed in the town of Minusinsk in Russia on 24 May 2017.
Popkov was editor-in-chief and founder of Minusinsk-based newspaper Ton-M, which took a critical stance towards corruption involving local political officials and police members. The journalist himself stated that the outlet had become “an obstacle” for local authorties, who according to him had been making a practice of threatening and intimidating independent journalists. Popkov was found in his backyard, shot five times by an unknown person. An investigation was opened following his murder.
“We are shocked after hearing the news of this brutal murder” Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO secretary general stated. “We ask for an urgent investigation of the case ” Vujovic added.
SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe.