Chernovik (Russian: Черновик for "Rough Draft") is a weekly newspaper published by Svoboda Slova (translated as "Freedom of Speech") and based in the Republic of Dagestan, North Caucasus region, Russia.
From 2008 to 2011, following a series of articles critical of the Federal Security Service's counterinsurgency tactics, the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Nadira Isayeva, was involved in a high-profile prosecution for "inciting hatred toward law enforcement officials" and other charges.
[8] CPJ described his death as "a lethal blow to press freedom" and "a massive loss for independent journalism in the North Caucasus, Russia's most dangerous place for reporters".
[8] Tanya Lokshina, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Moscow, said: "Kamalov's death is terrible and it will have a monstrous effect on the free press in Dagestan.
He had many enemies because of Chernovik's searching reports on corrupt businesses and the transgressions of the local siloviki [law enforcement bodies]."