Kadyrov: Berezovsky could have a hand in Estemirova's murder

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has stated that the murder of Natalia Estemirova, a human rights defender and employee of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial", committed in Chechnya in July 2009, was provoked by Boris Berezovsky with the aim to compromise the republic's authorities.

"Estemirova's murder was provoked by those who had killed Politkovskaya and Litvinenko. I am absolutely sure that this is Berezovsky's work. Politkovskaya spoke about Chechnya all the time. When the republic grew OK, and there was nothing more to accuse us of, it was an ideal moment to kill and impose the guilt on Kadyrov in order to undermine the system," Kadyrov said in his interview to "Russia Today".

Berezovsky himself treated the statement as "delirium" and removed the guilt for murdering the "Memorial" employee back on Kadyrov. "I can't comment ravings," he said to the GZT.RU. "Under my version, this crime was backed by the Kremlin, and the bloody-comic character who spoke to my address was its direct executor."

Ramzan Kadyrov has noted, in his turn, that the investigation of Estemirova's murder made progress and expressed confidence that it would be completed.

On January 24, Kadyrov named, in his interview to the "Zavtra" (Tomorrow) newspaper, the HRC "Memorial" as "the organization invented to undermine Russia." "People who gathered there are not patriots," he said.

Besides, he added that Estemirova had played no role in the republic and allegedly deliberately fabricated materials exposing Kadyrov.

"She (Estemirova, - comment of the "Caucasian Knot") got money from the West. Their aim was to talk more about us and get more money. They were paid for talking about our problems. We told them: what's the reason for shouting about our problems if we address them?" said Kadyrov.

"Should a problem arise, they immediately report it to the whole world. And when America kills innocent people in Iraq, or kills and tortures innocent people in Afghanistan - human rights activists keep silent. When a crime is committed in the Chechen Republic, something like family violence, Kadyrov is always guilty. I cannot be responsible for one million persons. All the same crimes will be committed, they are committed everywhere," the President of Chechnya has noted.

The "Interfax" reports that Oleg Orlov, head of the "Memorial" has already stated that Kadyrov's interview can initiate a law suit.