06 August 2009, 21:00
People in Chechnya doubt that Estemirova's murderers will be ever found
Real customers and organizers of the murder of the employee of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" Natalia Estemirova will be never not just punished but even named, as some friends and colleagues of the perished human rights defender in Chechnya believe.
Now, after three weeks from the moment of Natalia Estemirova's abduction and murder, there are no official results of the investigation of this crime.
"The investigation of the circumstances of Natalia Estemirova's abduction and murder goes on. A number of witnesses have been established and interrogated, other investigatory actions are underway. So far, there are no particular persons suspected of committing this crime," a spokesman of the law enforcement bodies of Chechnya has stated.
In the meantime, a leader of one of Chechen human rights NGOs, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that he did not trust the investigatory bodies.
He is confident that "for investigation of Estemirova's murder, as well as of other previous resonant murders, like executions of advocate Markelov or Anna Politkovskaya, international experts should be invited. And such investigation should be independent. When Medvedev actually stated on the following day after Estemirova's murder that Moscow rejects the version that President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov could be involved in this murder, everything became clear: the Kremlin would not hand in its allies."
"As usual in such cases, Moscow will swear to find and punish everybody; however, eventually, the result will be zero. In the best case this murder will be ascribed to someone of murdered power agents, and announced that he did it out of his personal hatred to Natalia Estemirova. Or they will find another 'switchman' who would 'confess' that it was done by militants in order to blacken Ramzan Kadyrov. Frankly speaking, I see no other variants," said the NGO leader.
Author: Alexander Ivanov Source: CK correspondent
