Joel Simon: ICPO admits mistake in Anna Politkovskaya's inquiry

At the meeting of the delegation from the International Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) with the heads of the Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of the Russian federation, investigators admitted the fact of a hasty transfer of the murder case of Anna Politkovskaya, reporter of the "Novaya Gazeta" to the court, said Joel Simon, Executive Director of the CPJ.

Let us remind you that on 28 September the delegation of the CPJ had a meeting with Alexander Bastrykin, head of the ICPO, and the investigators in charge of investigating the cases of the CPJ's special attention.

"The inconsistencies and contradictions that we see in all the murder cases of Russian journalists will be noticed by any person, who was same attentive in following the progress of these investigations. For example, in Politkovskaya's case investigators themselves admitted that they were too hasty in sending the case to the court; therefore, the trial was lost, and suspects were acquitted. It complicated further attempts to achieve justice," Joel Simon told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to CPJ members, the visit to Moscow was productive. "We were impressed by the fact that the ICPO is now directly reporting to President Medvedev. The head of the ICPO said that he would like to have his Committee built to the FBI model, with the same status and independence as the FBI has in the USA. With regard to trust to information of the ICPO, at least the fact that these facts and these statements were published, is already an important signal," Kati Marton, a member of the Board of the CPJ, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

She noted that the CPJ members were "more seriously treated" during the visit, the meetings took place "at a very high level, and immediately after the meeting at the ICPO, it was declared that all 19 cases of assassinated journalists would be reopened - it's a good sign."

According to Ms Marton, "the Russian government is under very great pressure and demand to solve these unsolved crimes. This fact has negative effect on Russia's image of Russia and pictures Russia as a dangerous place for journalists."

In her conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent she refused to name the country, where Alexander Bastrykin plans to go with the aim to organize the arrest and extradition of the alleged killer of Anna Politkovskaya.

Jean-Paul Martoz, a journalist, human rights activist and a CPJ's consultant in Europe, said that in October a meeting should take place in Europe within a high-level political dialogue; and in mid-November EU-Russian consultations should be held, where the CPJ would express its concern over the murders of journalists in Russia and would put this point on the agenda.

Joel Simon, in his turn, said that last Thursday, September 30, the CPJ delegation had a meeting with the heads of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, whose chairman "clearly spoke in favour of defence of the freedom of expression and mass media."

The ICPO officials were inaccessible for comments about the meeting.