Bahaddin Gaziyev, editor in chief and founder of the Azerbaijani “Bizim Yol” newspaper, died in a Baku hospital on 19 May after being severely beaten by unknown assailants the night before, day.az reported the same day citing the People’s Front Party leader Ali Kerimli. Gaziyev, who was driving home from work alone on 18 May, was reportedly abducted after two unidentified cars forced his vehicle off the road. The abductors subsequently took him to a remote location by a nearby lake, beat, and then abandoned him. After being found the following morning, he was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment, but was beaten so severely that he soon succumbed to his wounds. “Bahaddin, despite the severity of his injuries, did not lose consciousness. He was able to recall to us that one of the five unknown assailants…called someone on his cell phone and said that ‘the task had been completed.’ This tells us that it was a politically motivated crime. The murder of this journalist is aimed at closing down the country’s independent press,” Kerimli said. (www.day.az, May 19)