Khasan Yandiyev was a Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

n judge who served as the deputy head of the Supreme Court

Supreme court

A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...

 of Ingushetia

Ingushetia

The Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...

. Yandiyev presided over the trial

Trial

A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...

s of a number of corrupt

Political corruption

Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...

 government officials and Islamic fundamentalists and rebels in Ingushetia, one of Russia's poorest and most troubled provinces.

Khasan Yandiyev was killed on April 13, 2008, as he changed a tire

Tire

A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...

 near the Ingushetian town of Karabulak

Karabulak

Karabulak or Karabulag may refer to:*Karabulak, Kazakhstan, an urban-type settlement in Kazakhstan*Karabulak, Kyrgyzstan, a village in Kyrgyzstan*Karabulak, Republic of Ingushetia, a town in the Republic of Ingushetia, Russia...

. He was 52 years old at the time of his killing. Police believed he was killed by a sniper

Sniper

A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....

 or assailants armed with an assault rifle

Assault rifle

An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...

 using a silencer

Suppressor

A suppressor, sound suppressor, sound moderator, or silencer, is a device attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm which reduces the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon....

, since no one in the area heard a gunshot. Russian and Ingushetian authorities blamed both local Islamic fundamentalists, as well as Islamic rebels from neighboring Chechnya

Chechnya

The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...

.

Ingustetia has seen a rise in violence against police, the Russian military and government officials in recent months. Opponents of the government have in turn blamed Ingushetia's ineffective and repressive policies for the rise in the attacks.

Yandiyev's successor as deputy Chief Justice on the Supreme Court, Aza Gazgireeva, was assassinated on June 10, 2009, just 18 months after Yandiyev's killing.