Anna Politkovskaya assassination

The assassination of Anna Politkovskaya, the Russian journalist, writer and human rights activist, took place on Saturday, 7 October 2006. She was well known for her opposition to the Chechen conflict and criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin. [World Politics Review LLC, [http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=302 Politkovskaya's Death, Other Killings, Raise Questions About Russian Democracy] , 31 Oct 2006] [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6035133.stm|title=Anna Politkovskaya: Putin's Russia|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2006-10-09] She authored several books about the Chechen wars, as well as "Putin's Russia", and received numerous prestigious international awards for her work. Her murder, widely perceived as a contract killing, sparked a strong international reaction.

Background

Politkovskaya's book, "", strongly criticized Putin's federal presidency, including his pursuit of the Second Chechen War. She accused Putin and the Russian secret service FSB of stifling all civil liberties in order to establish a Soviet-style dictatorship, but admitted that "it is we who are responsible for Putin's policies": :"Society has shown limitless apathy...As the Chekists have become entrenched in power, we have let them see our fear, and thereby have only intensified their urge to treat us like cattle. The KGB respects only the strong. The weak it devours. We of all people ought to know that." She also wrote: :"We are hurtling back into a Soviet abyss, into an information vacuum that spells death from our own ignorance. All we have left is the internet, where information is still freely available. For the rest, if you want to go on working as a journalist, it's total servility to Putin. Otherwise, it can be death, the bullet, poison, or trial—whatever our special services, Putin's guard dogs, see fit." [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1300193,00.html Poisoned by Putin] Guardian Unlimited, September 9, 2004 ]

"People often tell me that I am a pessimist, that I don't believe in the strength of the Russian people, that I am obsessive in my opposition to Putin and see nothing beyond that," she opens an essay titled "Am I Afraid?", finishing it—and the book—with the words: "If anybody thinks they can take comfort from the 'optimistic' forecast, let them do so. It is certainly the easier way, but it is the death sentence for our grandchildren." [ [http://www.lettre-ulysses-award.org/authors03/politkovskaia.html Short biography from the 2003 Lettre Ulysses Award] ] [ [http://www.interlocals.net/?q=node/450 Last article by Anna Politkovskaya] ]

Death threats

*In September 2004, while traveling to Beslan, Russia during the Beslan school hostage crisis to help in negotiations with the hostage-takers, Politkovskaya fell violently ill and lost consciousness after drinking tea. She had been reportedly poisoned, [cite web|url=http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/61071|title=Russian journalist reportedly poisoned en route to hostage negotiations|publisher=IFEX|date=2004-09-03|accessdate=2006-10-11] with some accusing the former Soviet secret police poison facility.cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1625866.ece|title=The Laboratory 12 poison plot|author=Sixsmith, Martin|publisher=The Sunday Times|date=2007-04-08|accessdate=2007-05-20]

*In December 2005, while attending a conference on freedom of the press organized by Reporters Without Borders in Vienna, Austria, Politkovskaya said: "People sometimes pay with their lives for saying aloud what they think. In fact, one can even get killed for giving me information. I am not the only one in danger. I have examples that prove it." [cite web|language=French|url=http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19098|title=Trois journalistes tués le jour de l’inauguration à Bayeux du Mémorial des reporters'|publisher=Reporters Without Borders|date=2006-10-07|accessdate=2006-10-09] She often received death threats as a result of her work, [cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/women/story/0,,1327791,00.html|title=Dispatches from a savage war|author=Meek, James|publisher=The Guardian|date=2004-10-15|accessdate=2006-10-09] including being threatened with rape and experiencing a mock execution after being arrested by the military in Chechnya. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/14/AR2006101400805.html Her Own Death, Foretold] October 15, 2006]

*According to Russian state security officer Alexander Litvinenko, Politkovskaya asked him if her life was in imminent danger before the assassination. He confirmed the danger and recommended her to escape from Russia immediately. He also asserted that former presidential candidate Irina Hakamada warned Politkovskaya about threats to her life coming from Putin. Hakamada later denied her involvement in passing any specific threats, and said that she warned Politkovskaya only in general terms more than a year before her death. [ru iconcite web| first = | last = | title = Ирина Хакамада о партийном строительстве и экономической ситуации в России| publisher = Svoboda News| date = 4 December 2006| url = http://www.svobodanews.ru/Transcript/2006/12/04/20061204200017950.html| accessdate = 2006-12-07 ] It remains unclear whether the warning by Litvinenko was related to an earlier statement made by Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, who claimed that former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Boris Nemtsov received word from Hakamada that Putin threatened her and like-minded colleagues in person. According to Berezovsky, Putin uttered that Hakamada and her colleagues "will take in the head immediately, literally, not figuratively" if they "open the mouth" about the Russian apartment bombings. [Live interview with Berezovsky by Evgenia Albats, Radio Echo of Moscow, 11 June 2006. [http://www.echo.msk.ru/interview/44072/ Transcript in Russian] , [http://www.online-translator.com/url/tran_url.asp?direction=re&autotranslate=on&transliterate=on&url=http://www.echo.msk.ru/interview/44072/ computer translation] .]

Assassination

On October 7 2006, Politkovskaya was found shot dead in the elevator of her apartment block in central Moscow. [cite web|language=Russian|url=http://lenta.ru/news/2006/10/07/kill/|title=Anna Politkovskaya is murdered|publisher=Lenta.ru|accessdate=2006-10-09] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5416218.stm|title=Chechen war reporter found dead|publisher=BBC News|date=2006-10-07|accessdate=2006-10-09] Police said a Makarov pistol and four shell casings were found beside her body. Reports indicated a contract killing, as she was shot four times, once in the head. It was unclear at the time who ordered the killing. [ [http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/0/28.html?id_issue=11600925 Interfax Assassination Story] ] [ [http://www.kommersant.com/p711307/r_530/Murder_reporter_Politkovskaya/| Moscow's Kommersant daily's report of Politkovskaya's death] ] [ [http://www.annapolitkovskaya.com www.annapolitkovskaya.com] , A tribute site in memory of Anna Politkovskaya] ]

The funeral was held on Tuesday, 10 October, 2006, at 2:30 p.m., at the Troyekurovsky Cemetery. Before Politkovskaya was laid to rest, more than 1,000 people filed past her coffin to pay their last respects. Dozens of Politkovskaya's colleagues, public figures and admirers of her work gathered for the funeral. No high-ranking Russian officials could be seen at the ceremony.cite web|url=http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-10-10T144514Z_01_L10551150_RTRUKOC_0_UK-RUSSIA-JOURNALIST.xml |publisher=Reuters|title=Thousands mourn Russian journalist|accessdate=2006-10-10|date=2006-10-10]

Reaction

The European Union and many governments condemned the murder of Politkovskaya, calling for a thorough investigation into the crime by Russian authorities.

, [http://www.tlaxcala.es/pp.asp?reference=1358&lg=en Partial English translation] ]

On 8 October 2006, hundreds rallied in downtown Moscow to protest the murder of Politkovskaya and the recent crackdown on ethnic Georgians.cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/08/europe/EU_GEN_Russia_Protest.php|title=500 people rally in Moscow to protest journalist's murder, crackdown on Georgians|publisher=The International Herald Tribune|date=2006-10-08|accessdate=2006-10-09] The demonstration was described by the Moscow-based, liberal radio station Echo of Moscow as "the largest protest rally of the opposition recently held in Russia."cite web|language=Russian|url=http://www.echo.msk.ru/news/337481.html|title=Многочисленная акция памяти Анны Политковской прошла в центре Москвы на Пушкинской площади|publisher=The Ekho Moskvy radio|date=2006-10-08|accessdate=2006-10-09] A day after the murder, there was a demonstration and memorial consisting of 500 people in Moscow, as well as 300 people gathering in St. Petersburg. Further rallies and vigils took place in other Russian cities, including St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Saratov and Krasnoyarsk, as well as London, Paris, New York, and Washington.cite web|url=http://jamestown.org/edm/article.php?volume_id=416&issue_id=3894&article_id=2371554|title=Ingush Police Break Up Rally Honoring Politkovskaya|date=2006-10-19|accessdate=2007-05-19]

In addition, more than 1,000 people (later estimation: more than 3,000) gathered at the Russian embassy in Helsinki, Finland to pay their respects to Politkovskaya. The demonstration was silent, with people holding candles. Two of Politkovskaya's books have been published in Finland as translated editions.cite web|url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/More+than+1000+attend+vigil+for+murdered+Russian+journalist/1135222176400|title=More than 1,000 attend vigil for murdered Russian journalist|date=2006-10-09|accessdate=2006-10-10|publisher=HS.fi]

On 10 October, 2006, 2,000 demonstrators called Putin a "murderer" during his visit to Dresden, Germany.cite web|url=http://www.welt.de/data/2006/10/10/1066630.html|title=Putin mit "Mörder, Mörder"-Rufen empfangen|language=German|date=2006-10-10|accessdate=2006-10-11|publisher=Die Welt] cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,441835,00.html|title=Putin in Dresden mit "Mörder"-Rufen empfangen|language=German|date=2006-10-10|accessdate=2006-10-11|publisher=Der Spiegel] cite web|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/11/wputin11.xml|title=Putin faces 'murderer' taunt as journalist is buried|language=|date=2006-10-11|accessdate=2006-10-11|publisher=Telegraph] Putin replied: :"This journalist was indeed a sharp critic of the present Russian authorities...but the degree of her influence over political life in Russia was extremely insignificant. She was well-known in journalistic circles, among human rights activists, in the West. I repeat, her influence over political life in Russian was minimal." [ [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/10/955DF0B0-A445-46EF-A7F8-A49B36A501E8.html Chechnya: Politkovskaya Mourned As 'Last Hope'] October 11, 2006] And in my opinion murdering such a person certainly does much greater damage from the authorities’ point of view, authorities that she strongly criticized, than her publications ever did." [ [http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2006/10/10/2138_type82914type84779_112411.shtml Meetings with Representatives of various Communities] October 10, 2006] [cite web|url=http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/world/15723288.htm|publisher=A.P.|title=Mourners pay homage to slain journalist|language=|accessdate=2006-10-10|date=2006-10-10] cite web|url=http://www.kommersant.com/p712110/r_527/Putin_visit_Germany/|title=Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel Work Together|publisher=Kommersant|language=|accessdate=2006-10-11|date=2006-10-11]

Possibly related events in the aftermath of her death

Politkovskaya's assassination was discussed by the media in connection with the deaths of other critics of Putin, [ [http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/01/29/070129fa_fact_specter Kremlin, Inc. Why are Vladimir Putin’s opponents dying?] , by Michael Specter, The New Yorker, January 29, 2007 ] including her colleague from "Novaya Gazeta" Yuri Shchekochikhin, [ [http://www.eng.terror99.ru/publications/118.htm Terror-99 ] ] [ [http://2006.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2006/82n/n82n-s05.shtml Агент Неизвестен ] ] Russian Duma members Galina Starovoitova and Sergei Yushenkov, and journalist Artyom Borovik: [ [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/10/D08564AB-85E6-4375-94AC-921638EAB299.html Russia: High-Profile Killings, Attempted Killings In The Post-Soviet Period] , by RFE/RL]

*A week after the assassination, Alexander Litvinenko accused Putin of sanctioning the murder. Two weeks after this statement, Litvinenko was poisoned by the radioactive polonium. Two days before his death on November 24 2006, he wrote a statement, in case he "does not make it". He said: :"Name the bastard. Anna Politkovskaya did not do it, so I will, for both of us [ Alex Goldfarb and Marina Litvinenko. Free Press, New York, 2007. ISBN 978-1416551652, page 328. ] ...You may succeed in silencing one man but the howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life. May God forgive you for what you have done, not only to me but to beloved Russia and its people". According to some reports, Litvinenko tried to investigate Politkovskaya's death. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6180682.stm|title=Radiation found after spy's death|publisher=BBC|date=2006-11-24|accessdate=2006-11-25] [cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article649568.ece|title=Who did it? Five theories of Litvinenko's demise|publisher=The Times|date=2006-11-26|accessdate=2006-05-16] He was also writing a book about FSB activities including concentration camps in Chechnya. In that regard, he had frequent contacts with Politkovskaya. [ [http://www.svobodanews.ru/Article/2006/11/23/20061123180949473.html «Александр всегда знал, что за ним охотятся» - svobodanews.ru ] ] Litvinenko's poisoning was remarkably similar to the thallium poisoning of KGB defector Nikolai Khokhlov, [ [http://2004.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2004/46n/n46n-s10.shtml Встреча С Прошлым ] ] whom Politkovskaya had interviewed for "Novaya Gazeta". [ [http://2004.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2004/46n/n46n-s11.shtml Свою Историю Болезни Я Так И Не Видел… Зачем? ] ]

*On November 18, 2006, former pro-government Chechen commander and FSB officer Movladi Baisarov was shot dead in Moscow. Allegedly, Baisarov intended to give evidence that proved his political opponents' guilt of kidnapping and murder, and give testimony about Politkovskaya's assassination. "Novaya Gazeta" was preparing a publication linking Baisarov's murder with that of Anna Politkovskaya. Journalist Vyacheslav Izmailov, who worked closely with Politkovskaya on her stories about human rights abuses in Chechnya, said former Grozny Mayor Beslan Gantamirov had come to "Novaya Gazeta's" offices two weeks after she was murdered and said armed men close to Ramzan Kadyrov had been sent to Moscow with orders to kill three people: Politkovskaya, Baisarov and Gantamirov. [cite web|url=http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2372631|title=Were Baisarov and Politkovskaya on the same hit list?|publisher=Chechnya Weekly|date=2006-11-22|accessdate=2007-05-16] [cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/12623429/the_low_post_bushs_buddy_vlad_is_getting_out_of_hand/4|title=Vladimir "Pooty-Poot" Putin, Bush's buddy, is getting out of hand|publisher=Rolling Stone|date=2006-11-21|accessdate=2007-05-16]

*On November 20, 2006, former KGB officer Oleg Gordievsky asserted that the murders of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, Yuri Shchekochikhin, Politkovskaya, Litvinenko and others meant that FSB had returned to the old KGB practice of government-ordered political assassinations. [ [http://www.svobodanews.ru/Transcript/2006/11/20/20061120204213113.html Бывший резидент КГБ Олег Гордиевский не сомневается в причастности к отравлению Литвиненко российских спецслужб - svobodanews.ru ] ] *Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, "The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West", Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0-14-028487-7 ] Gordievsky was poisoned in November 2007, allegedly by a Russian agent. [ [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=557508&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490 Police probe 'new KGB poison attack' as defector Gordievsky is found unconscious in Surrey home | Mail Online ] ]

*On November 24, 2006, the day of Litvinenko's death, Russian economist and politician Yegor Gaidar alleged he was poisoned after drinking a cup of tea. [ [http://www.newsru.com/russia/30nov2006/gaidar.html Новости NEWSru.com :: Близкие Гайдара скрывают, в какой больнице он находится, опасаясь за его жизнь (ВЕРСИИ отравления) ] ]

Case developments

In late August 2007, police arrested ten suspects believed to have been involved in Politkovskaya's murder. Russia's Prosecutor-General Yuri Chaika stated that the plotters' aim was to start a crisis to destabilise Russia. The suspects included members of a Chechen organized crime group, as well as a number of former FSB agents. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6965253.stm BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Arrests over Russia writer murder ] ]

On August 28, 2007, Chaika met with Putin and FSB director Nikolai Patrushev, during which he made an official announcement: :"Our investigation has led us to conclude that only people living abroad could be interested in killing Politkovskaya...Forces interested in de-stabilising the country, in stoking crisis...in discrediting the national leadership, provoking external pressure on the country, could be interested in this crime. Anna Politkovskaya knew who ordered her killing. She met him more than once." [http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/russia-hints-exile-linked-to-murder/2007/08/28/1188067111580.html SMH.com, Russia hints exile linked to murder] ]

Chaika also said that Politkovskaya's killers were probably connected with the murders of Central Bank deputy chairman Andrei Kozlov and U.S. journalist Paul Khlebnikov. The person noted by Chaika as organizer of the murder was identified in the media as Boris Berezovsky. [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/08/624213BB-BE6C-4498-B70E-BB365A277C59.html Russia: Politkovskaya's Colleagues Dispute Official Investigation] , By Brian Whitmore, RFE/RL, August 28, 2007 ] Chaika's statement was supported by Andrei Lugovoi, who had been indicted by a British court with regard to the Alexander Litvinenko poisoning. Lugovoi said Berezovsky had organized the murders of Politkovskaya, Alexander Litvinenko, and the attempted murder of Yelena Tregubova. [ [http://www.kommersant.com/p-11293/r_531/Berezovsky_murder/ Berezovsky Masterminded Murders of Politkovskaya, Litvinenko, Tregubova, Lugovoy Said] Aug. 29, 2007]

On March 28, 2008, it was reported that the suspected killer of journalist Anna Politkovskaya was identified. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7318969.stm Politkovskaya killer 'identified'] BBC News Retrieved on March 28,2008] The suspect was not named, but the official, Vyacheslav Smirnov, said "all measures are being taken to find and detain him". It was later speculated that the suspect is 30-years old Chechen Rustam Makhmudov, a brother of Ibragim, Rustam and Gzhebrail Makhmudovs also arrested on suspicion on complicity to Politkovskaya assassination. [http://www.kp.ru/daily/24072/309877/ Генпрокуратура знает, кто стрелял в Политковскую. По нашим данным, киллером может быть 30-летний чеченец Рустам Махмудов] Komsomolskaya Pravda 29 March 2007]

On April 3 2008, Investigating Committee of the Persecution Office of Russia Dmitry Dovgy (suspended of his duty under allegations of taking bribes, though the interview was taken before his suspension) told the press that he is convinced that "Politkovskaya's murder was masterminded by Boris Berezovsky [ [http://old.lenta.ru/news/2008/04/03/claim/ Главный следователь СКП назвал Березовского заказчиком убийства Политковской] Lenta.ru 3 April 2007 ru icon] and carried out by Khozh-Ahmed Noukhayev". [ [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080403/102883594.html Top investigator says Berezovsky ordered Politkovskaya's murder] RIA Novosti Retrieved on April 6, 2008] Dovgy said that the murder was aimed at undermining confidence in law and order in Russia. He said the organizers [of Politkovskaya's murder] "wanted to show that well-known people can be killed here in broad daylight, with the law enforcement agencies seemingly unable to solve such crimes". Berezovsky dismissed the accusations in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio. "This is another attempt to distract the investigation from searching for the real person behind the murder," he said.

On April 4 2008 Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta claimed that all suspects in the case are members of Russian special services, and someone in the government protects the killers by openly disclosing the secret materials of the investigation. [http://www.novayagazeta.ru/data/2008/24/00.html "Agents of special services are among organizers of Politkovskaya assassination. However someone protects them by disclosing secret materials of the criminal case"] by Sergei Sokolov, 06.04.2008] The report discussed the involvement of Nukayev who allegedly also organized the assassination of Paul Khlebnikov. According to this publication, the traces of the killers lead to the gang of Maxim Lazovsky , a former FSB officer who allegedly organized a bombing in Moscow in 1994, and was later involved in the 1999 Russian apartment bombings. Yuri Felshtinsky and Vladimir Pribylovsky) "The Age of Assassins. The Rise and Rise of Vladimir Putin", Gibson Square Books, London, 2008, ISBN 190-614207-6; ] However the deputy editor of the magazine, Sergey Sokolov said that accusations pointing at the Kremlin were politically motivated and lacking in evidence. He says: "Some [people] pronounced the Kremlin guilty of the murder just some hours after it happened without giving any sound reasoning."

On June 18 2008, the investigating committee at the Moscow prosecutor general's office announced that the preliminary investigation was concluded, and three people, Sergey Khadzhikurbanov, Dzhabrail Makhmudov and Ibragim Makhmudov, were set to stand trial for murder. Another suspect, Pavel Ryaguzov, has been charged with lesser offenses, including abuse of office and extortion. [http://russiatoday.ru/news/news/26366 Three to face trial for Politkovskaya murder] Russia Today Retrieved on June 18, 2008] Colleagues who were close to Politkovskaya at Novaya Gazeta say the mystery is far from over however. Deputy editor of Novaya Gazeta magazine, Sergey Sokolov said: "The investigation is finished in regards to only the three people in question. But as for other people involved - the ones who have been identified and those who are still to be identified, like the killer and the person who ordered the murder - they are set apart into a separate group. The investigation will be continued." Russian prosecutors said their investigation against Rustam Makhmudov, who a month ago they alleged shot Politkovskaya, was ongoing. [http://www.reuters.com/article/europeCrisis/idUSL18385556 Russia charges 3 men in Politkovskaya murder] Reuters Retrieved on June 18. 2008]

On July 1, 2008, Russia's chief investigator Alexander Bastrykin said that Rustam Makhmudov, the man believed by authorities to have fired the fatal shot, was hiding in western Europe. Bastrykin did not publicly identify the specific country, but said it was known by Russian authorities. Unconfirmed Russian media reports suggest that Moscow has requested Makhmudov's extradition from Belgium. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7483641.stm Politkovskaya suspect 'in Europe'] BBC News Retrieved on July 2, 2008]

On October 2, 2008, the case against Khadzhikurbanov and Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudovs was sent to court by the prosecutors. [ [http://www.gazeta.ru/news/social/2008/10/02/n_1277857.shtml Politkovskaya murder case sent to court] Gazeta.ru Retrieved on October 2, 2008]

It still remains unclear who ordered the assassination. Some speculations were fueled by the fact that she was killed on Putin's birthday. Historian Yuri Felshtinsky and political scientist Vladimir Pribylovsky commented [ Yuri Felshtinsky and Vladimir Pribylovsky) "The Age of Assassins. The Rise and Rise of Vladimir Putin", Gibson Square Books, London, 2008, ISBN 190-614207-6; pages 248-250] that none of the official suspects had personal motives to kill Politkovskaya.updateneeded This led them to suggest several possible contractors: "the central leadership of the secret service - as a birthday present for Putin" or "Ramzan Kadyrov, also as a birthday present for Putin, in the hopes of receiving a present in return - the presidency of Chechnya (the hope was realized)".

ee also

*Human rights in Russia
*Politics of Russia
*List of journalists killed in Russia
*Media freedom in Russia

References

External links

* [http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/0/28.html?id_issue=11600925 Interfax Assassination Story]
* [http://www.economist.com/agenda/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8018567 A suspicious death in Russia] , "The Economist", 8 October 2006
*ru icon [http://gulag.ipvnews.org/article20061015.php For what reason did Putin the spy kill Politkovskaya]