Human rights defenders: inspectors know who killed Estemirova, but they are under pressure

Human rights activists assert that the process of inquiry into the murder of the well-known Chechen human rights defender Natalia Estemirova is under pressure. As reported today by Alexander Cherkasov, a member of the Board of the HRC "Memorial", they had to take one of the witnesses - an employee of the "Memorial" - away from Chechnya for this reason.

In her turn, another member of the "Memorial" - human rights defender Svetlana Gannushkina - said: "I have a feeling that the investigation already knows what had happened with Estemirova."

As stated by the leader of one of local NGOs, who preferred to remain anonymous, he learnt from one of his relatives, who works in power agencies of the republic, that actually nobody is engaged in serious work of investigating the murders of Estemirova, and of Zarema Sadulayeva and her husband Alik Dzhabrailov, kidnapped in Grozny on August 11. There are particular suspects, there is some information, but the investigation looks like not willing to notice all that; therefore, in the opinion of the source, the extension of the preliminary investigation is unjustified and senseless.

See earlier reports: "Preliminary investigation on Estemirova's murder case extended," "CPJ: Northern Caucasus is a hazardous area and potentially dangerous topic for independent journalists," "HRW: Chechen President's suit to "Memorial" distracts from investigating Estemirova's murder," "Isaeva: murders of human rights activists in Chechnya and "execution list" in Dagestan stem from different roots."