RUJ: Akhmednabiyev Award sets new standards of journalism

Activities of journalists in Northern Caucasus remain a dangerous course in the profession, which is closely connected with pressure and repressions, and often with opposition to the power. This opinion has been expressed by Russian journalists who took part in the selection of laureates and presentation of the prize named after Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev.

The annual prize for journalists writing about the Caucasus was established on October 1, 2014, by the "Caucasian Knot" and the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) in memory of Dagestani journalist Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev. The Akhmednabiyev Prize award ceremony was held in the House of Journalists in Moscow on March 13.

"This is a very important contest. In general, the more journalistic contests are organized  - open, with understandable conditions, and transparent - the more journalism will benefit from that. In particular, when the contest addresses journalists who highlight rather complex and not very popular topic, as protection of human rights," said Pavel Gutiontov, the secretary of the Russian Union of Journalists, when commenting on the contest to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to Ilya Azar, a special correspondent of the "Medusa", Northern Caucasus is a complex region because of the policy pursued by Russia.

"I do not see any changes and do not foresee any improvements. Even in the Boris Nemtsov's case, investigators found a Caucasian trace. The Caucasus is to be addressed; however, after Anna Politkovskaya and Natalia Estemirova, journalists pay less attention to the Caucasus... It is an important topic; however, not all reporters are willing to take risks and reside in the Caucasus," Ilya Azar has noted in his conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.