All World Give Reaction for Murder of Estemirova
The world leaders, civil society organizations and human rights activists is publishing response messages because of the abduction and murder of Natalya Estemirova.
Ian Kelly, spokesman at the Bureau of Public Affairs at the U.S. State Department, just had this come across the wire: “The United States is deeply saddened by reports of the abduction and murder of respected human rights activist Natalya Estemirova. We call upon the Russian government to bring those responsible to justice.” In Washington, National Security Council Spokesman Mike Hammer urged Russia to bring those responsible to justice. “This brutal slaying is especially shocking coming one week after President Obama met with civil society activists in Moscow, including those from Natalya’s organization,” Hammer said. “Such a heinous crime sends a chilling signal to Russian civil society and the international community.”
Irene Khan, Amnesty International’s secretary general, said: “Natalya Estemirova’s murder is a consequence of the impunity that has been allowed to persist by the Russian and Chechen authorities.”
The New York-based Human Rights Watch called for “a comprehensive, independent, and transparent investigation”. “It seems to be open season on anyone trying to highlight the appalling human rights abuses in Chechnya,” said HRW director Kenneth Roth.
The brutal assassination of Natalya Estemirova was a horrible and cowardly crime and an attack against fundamental human rights principles, said Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg. “The killing of Mrs Estemirova is a reminder that much stronger actions are needed to protect activist members of human rights organisations,” Mr Hammarberg concluded.
Commenting on the murder of Natalya Estemirova, Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis asked: “How many more Natalya Estemirovas and Anna Politkovskayas must be killed before the Russian authorities protect people who stand up for the human rights of Russian citizens?”
Speaking for the EU presidency, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said: “We condemn that brutal act and call for the authorities to try to establish who is responsible and take the action that is called for.”
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere noted that Ms Estemirova was just the latest in a long line of activists to be murdered in Russia. He said there must be “an in-depth and effective investigation.”
Britain’s Europe minister Glenys Kinnock denounced what she called a “shocking crime” and added ton calls for a thorough investigation.
Michelle Montas, the official of UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon spoke during a press meeting and said that “The murder of human rights defender Natalya Estemirova which followed after her abduction in Grozny saddened to Mr Ban Ki-Moon. He called on Russian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation for bring to justice those who committed this terrible murder. Thus may be sent to an unambiguous and clear message that harassment of human rights would not be tolerated”.
Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, welcomed Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s decision to order an investigation into the case. Nothing that the human rights activists in North Caucasus work under “precarious” conditions, Mr Pillay said the case “sadly underlines once again the need for governments to do much more to protect human rights defenders.”
Alla Dudaeva, the widow wife of Dzhokhar Dudaev who was the I.President of Chechen Republic Ichkeria published a statement and expressed her condolences about Estemirova. Dudaeva said: “She was working alone nearly 10 years and documenting to rights violations in Chechnya. She was braver then many men! I am sorry that one more sister of me killed by the Kremlin terrorism!”.
The Finnish Russian Civic Forum published a statement, and they said: “The abduction and murder of Natalya Estemirova calls for a determined response from all those concerned about the state of human rights in Russia. This crime is an attack on all those who believe in the fundamental principles of human rights and common European values”. Also, the Finnish-Russian Civic Forum demands that President Mededev order an immediate stop to the campaign of house-burnings by government-backed militias in North Caucasus. Natalya Estemirova’s last project was to gather evidence about this campaign. On the other hand Mr Mikael Storsjö, the General Secretary of the Finnish Russian Civic Forum was at YLE, a Finnish television channel. He said during the tv programme “The Human Rights situation in Chechnya has just aggravated since the “counter-terrorism operation” was abolished. Now Kadyrov has more free hands, and thus abductions and terror against the population has inclined heavily, as also Estemirova has witnessed… Kadyrov has just built up a Potemkin village in Chechnya, don’t get fooled, the Human Rights situation worse than ever. Abductions, public extrajudicial executions, murders committed in impunity… Estemirova’s killers will never be brought to justice. Maybe some small guy is found, tortured and after “confession” he will disappear forever in imprisonment. But regarding almost all cases of 312 murdered journalists in Russia since 1991, the ringleaders will stay at large… Forget Kadyrov and the other small guys – Putin has established an authoritarian power structure in Russia. It’s called “vertical power”. But then there is also a “vertical liability”. Those responsible for Estemirova’s murder isn’t just Kadyrov – it’s Putin who appointed him and Medvedev who protects him and keeps him in power”.
There were a rally to mourn Natalya Estemirova in Moscow, Thursday, July 16, 2009. People hold portraits of murdered rights activist Natalia Estemirova. Several hundred people gathered in downtown Moscow and Grozny mourning rights activist Natalya Estemirova whose kidnapping and killing shocked Russia’s beleaguered human rights community and prompted international outrage. Natalia’s 16 years old daughter Lana Estemirova was also attended to rally.
Berlin North Caucasus Culture Association published a statement as “Life Right is Sacred!”. They have expressed their condolences and said this attack isn’t just against Natalya, it is also against people who belive to human rights.
But in Turkey any civic organization including Caucasus associations didn’t publish any statement about this tragic murder.