ECtHR requests additional materials on case of Natalia Estemirova's murder

Until August 31, the complainants are to submit to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) the additional materials and answers to questions in the case on the murder of Natalia Estemirova, a staff member of the "Memorial", who was killed in Chechnya in 2009. This was reported by Kirill Koroteev, a senior lawyer of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 15, 2009, Natalia Estemirova, a staff member of the representative office of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" in Chechnya, was kidnapped in Grozny by unidentified people. She was brought to Ingushetia and killed. Till present, her killers have not been found.

The Russian General Prosecutor's Office has reported that the criminal case on Natalia Estemirova's murder is solved and that the murder involved Alkhazur Bashaev, put on the international wanted list. Colleagues of Natalia Estemirova believe that the investigation was intentionally directed to the wrong direction, while the evidence was falsified.

On September 10, 2011, the human rights defenders filed a complaint to the ECtHR on violations of the European Convention on Human Rights, which were committed during the investigation into the case on Natalia Estemirova's murder.

The ECtHR has asked a number of questions and requested additional materials on the case, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told on July 19 by Kirill Koroteev, a senior lawyer of the HRC "Memorial".

"In late May, Russia submitted the materials and answers on the complaint in total, 300 sheets of the case materials. However, we know that in 2012, there were 950 sheets in the case materials. They submitted only the part that concerned Alkhazur Bashaev," Kirill Koroteev said.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.