Ten Years After Her Abduction And Death, No Justice For Russian Rights Activist Natalya Estemirova

Ten Years After Her Abduction And Death, No Justice For Russian Rights Activist Natalya Estemirova
Russian and international human rights groups have criticized Russia for failing to bring to justice those responsible for the abduction and killing of rights activist Natalya Estemirova 10 years ago.

Estemirova was abducted in the capital of Russia's volatile North Caucasus region of Chechnya, Grozny, on July 15, 2009. Her bullet-riddled body was found hours later in neighboring Ingushetia.

The Memorial human rights center, where Estemirova worked until her abduction and death, and 11 Russian and international human rights organizations issued a joint statement on July 14 calling on Russian authorities to "at last carry out its obligations and conduct a thorough, unbiased, and effective investigation into the killing, bring individuals responsible for the crime to justice, and stop impunity for violation of human rights in Chechnya."

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International issued an English-language version of the statement on July 15.

“We are still waiting for the Russian government to carry out an effective investigation into the murder of our friend and colleague, Natalya Estemirova,” said Tanya Lokshina, associate Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The government’s inaction in this heinous crime is a black stain that perpetuates human rights abuses in Chechnya.”

“The courage and selflessness of Natalya Estemirova, who investigated abductions, extrajudicial executions, and other grave violations of human rights in Chechnya was unparalleled," said Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
"There is no doubt that she paid with her life for this fearless work. Ten years on, the Russian authorities have manifestly failed to find the perpetrators of this crime and those who ordered it.”

Estemirova, who led Memorial's office in Chechnya, was renowned for her writing and activism on human rights abuses in Chechnya and nearby regions in the North Caucasus.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-installed leader of Chechnya, has been accused of gross human rights abuses for many years, including abductions, torture, and killings.

Rights activists say that Kadyrov rules through repressive means and has created a climate of impunity for security forces in Chechnya.

Kremlin critics say Russian President Vladimir Putin turns a blind eye to Kadyrov's frequent violations of the Russian Constitution because he relies on the former rebel commander to control separatist sentiments and violence in the region.

Chechnya was the site of two devastating post-Soviet wars and an Islamist insurgency that spread to other mostly Muslim regions in the North Caucasus.

Estemirova's daughter, Lana Estemirova, wrote in an article published by The Guardian on July 14 that she "will make sure that Mum lives on."

"My mother is gone and her murderers are walking free -- and that is something I can never forget; but sometimes, looking in the mirror, I can’t help but feel triumphant. The fact that I’m here right now, that I’m alive and safe but, most importantly, happy, feels like a victory for both of us."

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