22:40, 28 February 2014

In Moscow, at memorial party of Natalia Estemirova, first show in Russia of film about kidnappings in Chechnya took place

Journalist Elena Sannikova at memorial party of Natalia Estemirova. Moscow, February 28, 2014. Photo by Aida Magomedova for the "Caucasian Knot"

On Friday, the birthday of Natalia Estemirova, a commemoration party took place in the conference hall of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial".

On the 56th Estemirova's birthday, human rights activists and her friends and colleagues watched the film "Barzakh" by Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravichyus, telling about kidnappings in Chechnya and about an illegal prison, which operated in the Oktiabrsky District of Grozny, where they tortured and killed kidnapped people.

In the final captions of the film, its authors blame the head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov for the death of Natalia Estemirova.

Activists and journalists who personally knew Natalia and worked with her spoke at the party.

Oleg Orlov and Alexander Cherkasov, a member and the chair of the board of the HRC "Memorial", accordingly, told the audience about how the film was made and what happened with its heroes. According to Oleg Orlov, only one person was convicted for torture in Chechnya, and it happened thanks to Stas Markelov, Anna Politkovskaya and Natalia Estemirova.

Author: Aida Magomedova

Source: CK correspondent