17 July 2009, 21:00
"Berlin's German-Russian Exchange" is shocked by Estemirova's murder
The organization named "Berlin's German-Russian Exchange" (DRA) was shocked by the news about violent murder of Russian human rights activist Natalia Estemirova and thinks that Russia is still far from "overcoming its legal nihilism."
In the opinion of the authors of the statement, it was Medvedev's correct step to hand over the investigation of the case under control of the Russian State Office of Public Prosecutor. "However, it is not enough. In the tragic row of political murders in Russia it had actually never resulted in opening of the reasons of the crime and exposure of culprits and their customers," runs the document.
The statement marks that the priority of Russian leadership should be in strengthening the human and citizen's rights in the bodies of power and security agencies at all levels and in all regions, in everyday culture and in human consciousness.
"Natalia Estemirova's murder should be discussed without any taboo as an obvious sign of essential deficit of respect of human rights and open discourse of public in Russia, and as an appeal to eliminate this deficit," runs the statement.
"Human rights defenders, like Natalia Estemirova, could become the most natural and best partners of country leaders in reaching this aim," people at the "Berlin's German-Russian Exchange" believe.
The "German-Russian Exchange" shares the grief with its partners and friends in Russia, especially in the HRC "Memorial", where Natalia Estemirova worked since 2001.
