"Chernovik" journalist attacked in Dagestan

Alexander Polyakov, sports correspondent of the "Chernovik" (Blueprint) newspaper, was beaten in the doorway of the apartment block where he lives in Makhachkala in the afternoon on November 9, at about 4 p.m. According to the victim, when he went up the stairs to his apartment, two unknown persons were coming down; they started beating him with no words. Alexander Polyakov received numerous traumas of his head and has been hospitalized; now his life is out of danger.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed by Zaur Gadzhiev, editor of the sports division of the paper, that the respective application has been already lodged to the militia, where a criminal case was already initiated.

Alexander Polyakov thinks that the attack has to do with his latest publications in the "Chernovik" on the offers moved by Dagestan billionaire Suleiman Kerimov to purchase the Makhachkala-based Football Club "Anzhi", and discontent of Club managers with his articles.

According to Polyakov, recently he had a call to his home telephone from Ilyas Magomedov, "Anzhi" Director General, who expressed his discontent with the journalist's recent publications on the topic in "Chernovik" in the form of threats.

First of all, the point is in the article entitled "Surrealism. It turns out that reality is not what we think", published in "Chernovik" No. 41 on October 10, 2008. The publication gave analysis of the interview of Magomedsultan Magomedov, President of "Anzhi", given to one of Dagestan newspapers.