16 May 2011, 20:00
Press Secretary of Head of Chechnya denies the fact of Ramzan Kadyrov' threats to Estemirova
During the trial on the case of slandering Head of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov by Oleg Orlov, Head of "Memorial" Human Rights Center, going on in Khamovniky court of Moscow Alvi Karimov, Head of Kadyrov's Press service, declared that he knew nothing of Ramzan Kadyrov's threats to Natalia Estemirova.
Karimov said that he had known Natalia Estemirova since 2000 when he was in Chechnya while working as a journalist of federal information agencies. He stated that Estemirova had shared various kinds of information with him.
Karimov also said that he received the news of Natalia Estemirova's death only after the human right activist's statement that Kadyrov was guilty of it. Karimov declared that he interpreted Orlov's words as an accusation against Kadyrov, however he remarked that in his opinion Oleg Orlov had accused Ramzan Kadyrov not directly of Estemirova's murder but of his involvement in this crime.
"I have never heard of any threats to Estemirova, neither did she ever say that anyone threatened her", Alvi Karimov declared. He also said that Oleg Orlov and human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina during their meetings with Ramzan Kadyrov expressed their gratification about improvement of the situation in the sphere of human rights in Chechnya.
Alvi Karimov refused to produce any comments to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent during the break between the court sessions.
Author: Dmitry Florin Source: CK correspondent
