Shariy supporter from Rivne threatens "Chetverta Vlada" editor-in-chief

Eldar Magomedov, who is affiliated with the Rivne branch of Shariy's party, texted the "Chetverta Vlada" editor-in-chief, Volodymyr Torbich, with implied death threats. The reason for the threats was a photo featuring Magomedov that Volodymyr Torbich posted on Facebook.

Volodymyr Torbich reported this on his Facebook page and shared the details with the IMI representative in Rivne oblast.

In the text messages received by Volodymyr Torbich, Magomedov mentions a photo that he believes was taken by Torbich. The photo confirms that Eldar Magomedov was present at the wake for Taras Davydiuk, a soldier and "Horyn.Info" editor-in-chief who was killed in action on November 8.

Many people in Rivne were surprised and outraged by Magomedov's presence at the wake, because Eldar Magomedov is considered one of the "Shariyites" who assaulted Taras Davydiuk in 2019 on the eve of the parliamentary elections.

As you know, in July 2019, Taras Davydiuk wrote that he was attacked by "titushkas from Shariy's Moscow vatnik party". Davydiuk received chemical burns, had to go to the hospital and filed a statement with the police, but the attackers were not found.

Eldar Magomedov (standing with a cane) at Taras Davydiuk's wake. Photo from Volodymyr Torbich's Facebook

In his messages, Magomedov wrote that taking a picture of him from the back is a sign of cowardice. He also speaks insultingly about Volodymyr Torbich and writes to him: "You must be aware that 'the Earth is round'"; "There is a time and occasion for everything – yours is ahead." Volodymyr perceives took these words by Magomedov as implied threats.

Screenshot of the chat between Eldar Magomedov and Volodymyr Torbich. Screenshot from Volodymyr Torbich's Facebook

In his comment to IMI, Volodymyr Torbich said that he had posted a photo taken by someone else in the comments to a Facebook post, because he was surprised that Eldar, known in Rivne for his affiliation with Shariy's party, participation in anti-vaxxer campaigns and other scandalous events, attended Taras Davydiuk's wake. Volodymyr remarkes that Eldar noticed the photo and started arguing with other people in the comments.

"Then I see a Facebook notification that he texted me some insults and threats. I answered briefly. After that, he again implied some threats, after which I posted it all publicly so that the people know their 'heroes,'" says Volodymyr Torbich.

Eldar Magomedov at the opening of Shariy's party office in Rivne, 2019. Photo by "Typove Rivne"

"I encountered many insane people in my journalistic career. All I can is show their true face, which I do. I'm still thinking whether I should contact the police. But I know from experience that the police are usually weak in investigating crimes against journalists. So I don't know if there's any sense in wasting time on it," Volodymyr Torbich told IMI.

According to Torbich, he first encountered Eldar Magomedov in 2014, when the latter asked him to report on the alleged embezzlement of money collected at the Rivne Maidan. "In fact, everything came down to an unsubstantiated accusation, for which the defendants sued him for libel, and he lost this trial. We have written about it."

In 2016, Eldar Magomedov visited the "Chetverta Vlada" office as a cameraman for Rivne political activist Lilia Moskalyova, who slandered the "Chetverta Vlada". "Then Eldar seemed to be making excuses: "Volodya, I'm just a cameraman." So when I made a blog post about this situation, I wrote "I'm just an cameraman" on his back. And then he told me through another journalist that he was offended by this," said Volodymyr Torbich.