Veronika Cherkasova
Veronika Cherkasova (Belarusian: Вераніка Анатольеўна Чаркасава, Vieranika Anatoljeŭna Čarkasava; Russian: Вероника Анатольевна Черкасова; January 12, 1959 – October 20, 2004) was a Belarusian journalist, born in Minsk, Belarus. She was stabbed to death in her Minsk apartment on October 20, 2004.[1]
The killer, who inflicted over 20 stab wounds,[1] has never been found. The official investigation was suspended in December 2005, restarted in February 2006, and suspended again on March 14, 2006, citing lack of indictable suspects. Authorities have tried to pin the killing on her family.[1]
Veronika Cherkasova had worked for various independent opposition newspapers - "BDG" (in the 90's), "Belorusskaya Gazeta" (1995–2003) and, finally, in 2003–2004 for "Salidarnaść" (Solidarity) newspaper.
She specialized in investigative journalism and wrote about social issues, including articles about religious sects and Romani communities in Belarus, but also she published several articles about illegal arms trade between Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus and Saddam Hussein's Iraq. She visited Iraq in 2002 as member of group of journalists invited to the country by some Belarus businessman who had partners in Iraq. Her site www.veronikacherkasova.org reported some photos taken during this trip disappeared from her flat after the murder.