Saturday I got a call from Ingushetia and was told about an odd leaflet that was spread all over the Republic on weekend. The leaflet contained an article that was allegedly written by me and allegedly published in Novaya Gazeta. In the “article” I allegedly told about an Ingush wedding ceremony where the hosts and the guests behaved indecently, if we put it mild without mentioning the disgusting details given in the paper. Significantly, the leaflet said about Magomed Aushev and Magomed Khazbiev, the two people who publicly declare their disagreement with the policy by the republican leadership.    

On my own behalf and on behalf of Novaya Gazeta I state that we did not publish any article about any wedding. Moreover, I have no doubts that the real author of that paper is a liar.  

I know personally Magomed Aushev. I cannot imagine a situation where he would behave disreputably. During the Chechen war years Magomed ransomed several tens of soldier-prisoners. About 600 soldiers’ mothers from all over Russia, who had come to search for their sons, got a shelter in his house. Those women can confirm the fact that Magomed Aushev is an embodiment of right conscience. 

I also know Magomed Khazbiev, and I know him at his best. It’s no secret he has a lot of enemies, but even they, when talking to me privately, only could reproach him for being too sharp in his relations with the local authorities. 

I believe that the authors of the leaflet pursued a double purpose. On the one hand, they wanted to discredit their enemy, and on the other hand they wanted to make Ingush people distrust Novaya Gazeta. I am sure that provocateurs have achieved none of these goals.