Estemirova's colleagues in Chechnya doubt her killers to be ever brought to justice

In the Journalists' Mini-Park in Grozny, local NGO activists held a rally in memory of Natalia Estemirova, the well-known Chechen human rights defender, who was murdered two years ago. Several dozens of persons came to take part in the rally.

The monument to perished journalists, which is installed in the mini-park, was decorated by Natalia Estemirova's portrait with the inscription "We remember"; a woman-participant of the rally put a red carnation under it.

Natalia's co-workers did not take part in the memorial rally: on July 15 in the morning the employees of the HRC "Memorial" went to the village of Ishkhoi-Yurt, Gudermes District of Chechnya, where Natalia Estemirova was buried and where her relatives live, to take part in the commemoration religious ceremony – the Mavlid.

No state officials were noticed at the rally.

Colleagues of the murdered rights advocate believe that the true murderers of Natalia Estemirova will be neither brought to justice nor even named. "The fact that after two years from the date of Natasha's kidnapping and murder the official investigation has virtually brought no results, is clearly demonstrating one thing only – that her killers will never be sentenced or even named, although nobody doubts in Chechnya that her kidnapping and murder had been committed by local power agents," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by the head of a local NGO.

The poster with a photo of Natalia Estemirova and inscription "We remember!" was torn off by some unidentified persons after the end of the rally in the Chechen capital, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by Taisa Isaeva, one of the participants and organizers of the rally.

According to her story, human rights activists tried to find out who had removed the poster; they questioned local taxi drivers, but nobody answered them. Taisa Isaeva, as she said, could not understand "who needed to do it", but believes that Natalia Estemirova "frightens certain people even after her death."