(IPI/IFEX) – In a 14 March 2001 letter to President Lennart Meri, IPI strongly condemned the murder of a newspaper publisher in Estonia. According to IPI sources, Vitaliy Khaytov, 57, chief executive of the leading Russian-language daily “Estoniya” and the weekly “Vesti Nedelya Plus”, was shot dead in Tallinn just after 3:30 p.m. (local time) […]
(IPI/IFEX) – In a 14 March 2001 letter to President Lennart Meri, IPI strongly condemned the murder of a newspaper publisher in Estonia.
According to IPI sources, Vitaliy Khaytov, 57, chief executive of the leading Russian-language daily “Estoniya” and the weekly “Vesti Nedelya Plus”, was shot dead in Tallinn just after 3:30 p.m. (local time) on 10 March. He was killed with two shots to his head while sitting in his car in a suburb of the capital. The motive for the murder was unknown, police said.
Khaytov, a Russian citizen, worked as director-general of the Vesti publishing house since 1995 and was responsible for publishing “Estoniya” and “Vesti Nedelya Plus”. His 32-year-old son, Marian Khaytov, was shot dead in a similar attack in Tallinn last spring, with police citing controversial business interests as a possible cause of his murder. No one has been charged in that killing.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– urging him to ensure that there is a prompt and thorough investigation into Khaytov’s murder and that those responsible for this crime are swiftly brought to justice
– further urging him to disclose any findings on this case
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Lennart Meri
President
Office of the President
Weizenbergi 39
15050 Tallinn
Republic of Estonia
Fax: +3726 31 62 50
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
