22:00, 4 November 2009

Estemirova'a colleagues complain of attempts to use her death for speculations

Moscow, Novopushkinskiy Mini-Park, July 16, 2009. Rally in memory of assassinated human rights advocate Natalia Estemirova. Photo by the "Caucasian Knot"

The members of the independent public commission, set up this July to investigate the circumstances of the murder of human rights defender Natalia Estemirova, have addressed Russian leaders and heads of international human rights organizations, saying in their statement, in particular, about attempts to use her death for speculations. The statement was dated to the hundred days that expired after her assassination.

"We do not understand the position taken by representatives of some international and well-known Russian human rights organizations after Estemirova's death. We mean direct speculations around the death of the woman who had defended citizens' rights. Recently, the very topic of Natalia's murder was moved to the background; and the main debate is around the litigation of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) 'Memorial' and the conflict of its leaders with the authorities of Chechnya," the statement further runs.

Its authors ask Russian leaders to ensure protection of human rights activists and provide assistance and support to those entities and persons, which and who need them first of all.

Author: Alexander Ivanov

Source: CK correspondent