Lidya Yusupova, a human rights lawyer who worked for Russia’s Human Rightc Center “Memorial”, presented a documentary on the life of murdered Russian journalist Anna Politovskaya on April 14 in European Parliament.

As someone who worked in Grozny in Chechnya, Lidya Yusupova* is a staunch critic of the Russian state-sponsored brutality towards the people of the Caucasus and believes silence is helping it. She did a presentation which name is “Anna, Seven Years on the Frontline” and it took place in the press room in the parliament’ press room which is named after Anna Politovskaya. It was organised on April 14 by the Chair of the Human Rights Committee and Finnish MEP Heidi Hautala and the Czech NGO “People in Need”. It formed part of the “One World” human rights festival held under the Patronage of former Czech President Vaclav Havel and Parliament’s President Jerzy Buzek.

Lidya Yusupova gave answers to EP’s press services and told that “the Chechen syndrome” has spread throughout the Caucasus and that state sponsored terror produces inevitable counter-reaction. She said that it’s not yet too late for the EU to demand the Russian government to solve the problem.

*Lidya Yusupova worked as a lawyer offering practical help to victims of abuse as part of her previous work and collected testimonies from victims of human rights abuses, killings and “disappearances”. She also provided legal assistance in claims against the Russian Army and Security Services. Lately she is working as a journalist.