Meirkhaim Gavrielov
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Meirkhaim Gavrielov (25 August 1927 - 9 June 1998) (Russian: Миерхаим Гавриэлов) was a journalist murdered in Tajikistan.
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[edit] Life
Meirkhaim Gavrielov was a prominent member of Tajikistani media for fifty years. Gavrielov was born in 1927 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. He studied philology at Samarkand State Pedagogical Institute. Gavrielov relocated to Tajikistan and in 1947 he began work as a writer and editor at the staff of the newspaper Tojikistoni Soveti (Тоджикистони Совети). From 1966 through 1974 he taught journalism in the Tajik Philology department of Tajik State University. From 1979 to his death Gavrielov held the position of editor-in-chief of the Tajik Agrarian University newspaper "Donish" (Дониш). Gavrielov excelled in his field and became a member of the Union of the Journalists of Tajikistan and Union of the Writers of Uzbekistan. He was published under the pseudonym Meir Khalabi (Мэир Халаби) and the years before his death wrote several books
In addition to his work as a journalist and author Gavrielov was a leader of the Bukharan Jewish community in Dushanbe. He served as chairman of the Bukharan Jews' Cultural Society, Khoverim (Ховерим), and was a member the Bukharan Jewish Section of the Writers Union of Tajikistan.
At the time of his death Gavrielov was seventy years old and had survived the brutal 1992-1997 civil war in Tajikistan that ravaged the country. But Gavrielov’s profession was a dangerous one, as more than 60 journalists were killed in Tajikistan in the 1990s, and prominent individuals throughout the country were routinely assassinated. [1] [2] [3]
[edit] Killing
At approximately 11:00 p.m. on 8 June 1998, unidentified persons entered the home of Gavrielov in Dushanbe, beat him, and then strangled him to death with a metal wire. The killing was a shocking incident, but not uncommon in Tajikistan. Initially the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported Gavrielov’s death as a suicide and claimed that Gavrielov had suffocated himself with a pillow. Later the facts surrounding Gavrielov’s death emerged after international scrutiny of the killing. The motives behind Gavrielov’s murder were uncertain because Tajikistan, being a very anti-Semitic country, didn't really care about a Jewish person that was killed. Was the killing in retaliation for something he had written or was he merely a victim of the violent crime that paralyzed Dushanbe in the 1990s? Was Gavrielov’s Jewish faith a motive in his killing? These questions have yet to be answered. [2] [3]
[edit] International Reaction
Gavrielov’s murder aroused international condemnation and investigations from groups such as Human Rights Watch and Committee to Protect Journalists. Glasnost Defense Foundation wrote an appeal addressed to President Emomali Rahmonov to vigorously investigate Gavrielov killing and persecute the murders. There was no reply. [3]
The perpetrators of Gavrielov’s murder remain anonymous and unpunished.
[edit] Works
Meirkhaim Gavielov wrote the following books:
- Солхо ва кисматхо (Solho va Kismatho), 1994.
- Андешахо, андешахо (Andeshaho, andeshaho), 1995.
- Маресеви точик (Maresevi Tojik), 1995.
- Гуломи илм (Ghulomi Ilm), 1995. [1]
[edit] See also
[edit] Resources
- ^ a b Oleg Panfilov (2004). Miyerkhaim Gavrielov (1927-1998) - Deserved Journalist of Tajikistan. Bjews.com. Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
- ^ a b Violence in Tajikistan. Human Rights Watch (1998). Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
- ^ a b c Journalist Meirkhaim Gavrielov killed. International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX). Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
[edit] External links
- Glasnost Defence Foundation appeal to President Imamali Rakhmonov to investigate Gavrielov's murder.
- Human Rights Watch Report on Tajikistan – includes section on Gavrielov's murder
- Meirkhaim Gavrielov Memorial Page at www.memorium.cjes.ru (In Russian)
- Miyerkhaim Gavrielov (1927-1998) - Deserved Journalist of Tajikistan by Oleg Panfilov (In Russian).
- Photo of Mierkhaim Gavrielov at Bukharian Jewish Portal.
