On Thursday evening, Atovulloyev, 56, was at a restaurant in Moscow when an unidentified man approached him, stabbed him twice in the stomach, and fled, witnesses told the local press. Atovulloyev underwent surgery, and, according to his doctors, his life is no longer in danger, news reports said.
Charogi Ruz (Daylight) is known for its sharp criticism of the Tajik government, particularly of Emomali Rahmon, the head of state since 1992. Atovulloyev has repeatedly criticized the Tajik ruling elite of corruption and embezzlement of international aid aimed at helping the development of the poor Central Asia state. When Atovulloyev’s newspaper was banned in Tajikistan in 1992 in retaliation for his criticism of Rahmon’s policies, he moved it to Moscow a year later. He continued to publish Charogi Ruz from exile. The paper’s website can still be accessed online in Tajikistan, local news reports said.