Ingushetia shooting

A senior policeman in the Russian region of Ingushetia has been sentenced to two years for "unintentionally shooting" a journalist in a trial that critics have labelled a farce.

Ibragim Yevlovev, who also worked as a bodyguard for the Caucasus republic's interior ministry, was found guilty of "murder by negligence."

He killed Magomed Yevlovev, editor of the region's main opposition news website and a prominent critic of the region's former ruler Murat Zyazikov, with a pistol shot to the head. The journalist had been detained at the local airport in August last year.

Pulled trigger "without intent"

Presiding judge Murat Tungoyev agreed with state prosecutors that the policeman had committed involuntary manslaughter. The prosecution said the policeman had "unintentionally" pulled the trigger of his automatic handgun while taking Yevlovev by police car to the police station.

The policeman will serve his sentence at a low-security prison.

The ruling may raise tensions in the mainly Muslim republic, which has been blighted by recent bombings in a power struggle between clans. Protests followed Yevlovev's death and led to the replacement of former ruler Murat Zyazikov by the Kremlin.

Political and premeditated

Human rights organizations said the killing was political and premeditated and that it was typical of general lawlessness under Zyazikov's regime.

Supporters of the dead reporter called the ruling "absurdly lenient" and said they would appeal. The lawyer for the victim's family, Musa Pliyev described the sentence as "legally a green light to murder rights activists."

Ingush presidential spokesman Kaloi Akhilgov also criticized the trial, and what he saw as a failure to investigate the role of former regional interior minister, Musa Medov. Medov has denied involvement.

rc/AFP/Reuters/dpa

Editor: Susan Houlton