Moscow: participants of Estemirova's commemoration demand Kadyrov's resignation

In the evening on August 24, activists who rallied in the Chistoprudny Boulevard in Moscow to commemorate Natalia Estemirova on the 40th day after her murder demanded resignation of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.

"Some public figures have written a letter to President Medvedev demanding Kadyrov's removal from power while this crime is investigated. We understand that Kadyrov, Putin's intimate friend, will hardly be removed. But in this case, any inquiry will end in nothing. Therefore, we must go on demanding Kadyrov's resignation... Otherwise, murders will continue," said Lev Ponomaryov, executive director of the All-Russian Movement "For Human Rights".

"Every time, when a human rights activist or a journalist is assassinated, we ask ourselves who and how will replace him or her. And the authorities and killers understand that loss of every person is in fact irreplaceable for us. It was said here that to replenish the loss, we need to live according to our conscience. In the situation, when we're so few, living according to our conscience means to work hard for ten. Let us tell others about what happens in Northern Caucasus, let us disseminate information. By doing so, we'll substitute our losses at least partially," Anna Karetnikova, coordinator of the Anti-War Club and a board member of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", called the audience.

Despite the rain and summer vacation time, some 150 persons came to commemorate Natalia Estemirova.

The organizers of the memorial event were the HRC "Memorial", Human Rights Watch, Solidarity Union with Political Prisoners, Anti-War Club, Movement "For Human Rights" and Democratic Movement "Solidarity".

Similar memorial actions were held in other cities of Russia and abroad. Thus, on August 22, a rally took place in Chernyshevskiy Garden of St Petersburg with participation of activists of the NGO "House of Peace and Non-Violence", St Petersburg branch of "Yabloko" Party and Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Natalia's colleague and employee of the Grozny-based "Memorial" branch.

On August 23, in the city of Omsk, a mourning action was held by the "Yabloko" Party, and in Berlin - by the following human rights organizations: the German branch of the Society "Memorial", Amnesty International and "Reporters without Borders".