Two weeks after the brutal murder of human rights campaigner Natalia Estemirova in Chechnya, no one has been brought to justice. The renowned activist and journalist was kidnapped on July 15th and then murdered several hours later in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia. Ms. Estemirova was one of few human rights campaigners still active in the current climate of oppression and political intimidation surrounding the counter-insurgency being waged by the Chechen Government against separatists. She worked for Memorial – a Russian-based human rights organization – and was an important source of information on government-endorsed and –sponsored abuses, kidnappings, and murders. Her work, compounded with her frequent, public criticism of the Chechen government, led President Ramzan A. Kadyrov to personally threaten her several months ago. Human rights groups in Chechnya, as well as international organizations, have blamed President Kadyrov for her murder. Director of Memorial Oleg Orlov stated, “I know who is guilty of Natalia’s murder. His name is Ramzan Kadyrov.”[1] Allison Gill, Director of Human Rights Watch in Russia, also suggested government complicity in the murder: “She was targeted because of her work. I have no doubt her killing was to silence her.”[2] President Kadyrov has denied these allegations, suggesting that the murder may have been an attempt to divert government attention from the counter-insurgency efforts.[3]
Ms. Estemirova is one of many human rights campaigners and journalists to be targeted in the region recently. Her murder is reminiscent of the well-publicized 2006 killing of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya – a friend and colleague of Ms. Estemirova who also investigated human rights abuses in Chechnya. Chechen lawyer Stanislav Markelov, who was also a colleague of Ms. Estemirova and represented victims of abuse brought to light by Ms. Politkovskaya’s investigations, was murdered last January.
For more information, see: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/world/europe/16chechnya.html?scp=3&sq=natalia%20estemirova&st=cse
