Russian journalist Timur Mazayev receives death threats over news outlet's Instagram post

New York, April 28, 2021 — Authorities in the Russian republic of North Ossetia should conduct a swift investigation into the death threats made to journalist Timur Mazayev, his colleagues, and his family, and ensure their safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.  On April 14, a man identifying himself as Zelimkhan Bitarov, the son of former North Ossetia ruler Vyacheslav Bitarov, called Mazayev, chief editor of the independent news website Ossetia News, and threatened to kill him, his colleagues, and his family over a post on the outlet’s Instagram account, according to news reports and Mazayev, who spoke with CPJ in a phone interview. After receiving the threats, Mazayev left North Ossetia for several days out of concern for his and his family and coworkers’ safety, according to the journalist and those reports, which stated that authorities have opened an investigation into the threats.   CPJ called Bitarov and emailed his secretary for comment, but did not receive any responses. “North Ossetian authorities should take the death threats made to journalist Timur Mazayev, his family, and colleagues seriously, and should swiftly and thoroughly investigate the incident, and hold the perpetrator to account,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and…
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