(Russian Journalist) Anna Politkovskaya Murdered in Moscow

Anna Politkovskaya, the famous journalist and political commentator from Novaya Gazeta was killed in Moscow. This was reported by Novaya Gazeta's chief editor Dmitri Muratov to the radio station Echo of Moscow.

The murder occurred around 5 in the evening on Lesnaya Street, where Politkovskaya lived. An unknown man in dark clothing shot her with a pistol.

A police source reported to Interfax that a neighbor of the journalist found her body in the elevator. Police also found a discarded Makarov pistol and four empty cartridges.

Politkovskaya's home is now cordoned off by the police, reported ITAR-TASS. The police are questioning residents, trying to find out if anyone heard the shots or saw any suspicious characters in the stairwell.

According to Moscow prosecutor Yuriy Semin, a criminal case has been opened. Police are looking for a young man, slightly taller than average, with a thin body build. He may be wearing a dark baseball cap.

Igor Yakovenko, the general secretary of the Russian Journalists Union told Echo of Moscow that Politkovskaya was an absolutely fearless individual. Without fail, she was 'number one' in investigating dangerous subjects, and the took on even the most challenging problems.

Politkovskaya was threatened one several occasions. In September of 2001 she published an article in Novaya Gazeta, titled 'The Missing People', which discussed the fate of Chechen Zelimhan Murdalov, who was arrested in Chechnya by the Hanty-Mansiysk special police early in 2001, then later disappeared. Afterwards the journalist began to receive theatening emails from a certain 'Cadet'. 'Cadet' was the nickname of Sergei Lapin, an officer of the Hanty-Mansiysk special police, and the officer who questioned Murdalov after his arrest. Lapin was later arrested, but the charges were dropped.

In September of 2004, while the tragic events in the Beslan school were taking place, Anna Politkovskaya tried to fly to Beslan. As Politkovskaya said, she was "removed from the field" so that she could not offer her plan to remedy the situation. (Struwwelpeter note: she was alleged to have been poisoned while waiting for her flight from Rostov.)

Politkovskaya worked as a commentator for Novaya Gazeta since 1999. Several times she travelled to combat zones and refugee camps in Dagestan, as well as Ingushetia and Chechnya. In addition, Politkovskaya worked in human rights: she assisted the mothers of dead soldiers in court, investigated corruption in the Russian ministry of defense and in the headquarters of the unified federal forces in Chechnya. Politkovskaya's last article in Novaya Gazeta, "Punitive agreement", described the composition and activitives of the Chechen forces, which fight on the side of federal forces.

From 'Anna':
"No words... Finland mourns with you: today in Helsinki more than 1000 people gathered with candles in from of the Russian embassy in memory of Anna Politkovskaya. I wish for strength to her family, her friends, and other journalists who are ready to fight for justice. "Anna from Finland"

From 'Spyfoxx':
"We in the USA are very sad for this great loss of a great leader of human rights. More will come to know of her work because of her very tragic death. God be with you all in Russia."

From 'Anna':
"Anna, your work goes on. I hope that there are students and researchers still in Russia, I hope that there are still ideals remaining.
"Anna, Latvia, Riga"

From 'Sergej':
"My condolence to the family, collegues and friends of Anna Politkovskaya.
"As a son of a journalist who wrote about terrorism and mafia here in italy, and who lost friends shooted for what they had no fear to say, I feel intimately the struggle for this ignoble crime against the free voices of Democracy.
"Rest in peace, Anna.
"Sergio Bello - Cremona, Italy"

From 'Kira':
"Sincerest condolences, I am crying... as if one of my own had died. Maybe I can say that it is so. Anna was at 'Nord-Ost', there where my closest person in the world was, ... Her whole life she tried to help those who had it bad. I always trusted her. Eternal is her memory..."

'Rkia':
"It's awful! I cannot believe what happened to this wonderful journalist. I was in the middle of her book when I heard the news. Now I will read the rest of the pages with pain in my heart.
"My heart goes out to her family and friends.
"Rkia from Holland

"Dear Editors of Novaya Gazeta, dear colleagues and friends of Anna, (izvinite chto po-angliskii)
"I am stunned and deeply troubled by this terrible news. Anna wrote about Chechnya like no one else did. The Chechen people have lost a great friend and the world has lost a writer who was devoted to the truth and to the survival of ordinary people. She was absolutely fearless and she was by far the best-informed writer on Chechnya. She was also the most passionate. She unfailingly took the side of ordinary people, those who suffered most in this terrible conflict, and she was the only one who dared tell the truth about Ramzan Kadyrov. I met her once, at your offices, and I was impressed by her bearing and character and absolute dedication to her work. I am profoundly saddened by this news, and cannot find words to express it properly. There is absolutely nobody who can replace her.
"I am thinking of you, her colleagues, in this difficult time and hope you find the the strength to carry on her work.
"M. Pohl, Poughkeepsie, New York"

From 'Bela':

Dear Anna,
Thank you, for loudly saying what many feared to think,
Thank you, for going ahead, when many lagged behind,
Thank you, for trying to save the innocent who were condemned,
Thank you, for treasuring human life so,
Thank you, for telling us the truth,
Thank you, for your life,
Thank you,

A bright memory of you,

Bela, Washington

Soraya Borelly:
"It is difficult to write the truth in a world where a lie makes ropes to prevail, silencing with the death the brave ones that they dare to defy it. From the moment in which I had contact with works of Anna, I knew that it was inspiration for thousands of journalists who, like I, every day we found in our way mines seeded by the hand accomplice of those who makes of the lie their creed. To its children, to its companions, to those who today cry it, I make arrive condolencias and express to them that they must feel proud by to have had a mother and a companion of the caliber of Politkovskaya.
"Soraya Borelly Patiño.
"International journalist. Venezuela. Latin America"

'Jens':
"Anna Politkovskaya has been one of the few living heros of Russia.
"Now she is among the many dead heros of Russia. Or victims. Obvious murder. Contract killing for sure. Nobody could stop her. She strove to tell the truth. Therefore her words will survive. They will never be dead.
"That is for sure."

'Anna Maria'
"Dear Anna, you were one of the very few people reminding us that there is something else beyond cynism, egoism and indifference.
"The heavenly kingdom to you,
"Anna Maria Canepa, Stockholm, Sweden"

From 'Vika':
"They feared her!!! The men revealed by authority and money! Fear this, you cowards, Anna from the skies will reveal all your meannesses, from there even more easily... But they did not count on one thing, yes, we were shaken by this murder, but we were not lost, we didn't scatter, we balled up our fists. If this brittle woman could resist this steam roller, this evil, then I can. Glory to you Anna, the fearless hero! You have it much better up there in heaven, than we do here in Russian, you have much more pleasant company. We remember everything, and this means that you live on, and evil will fall upon all the killers!
"Glory to you, hero!"

Good bye, my friend, good bye.
My dear one, you are inside my breast.
This predestined parting,
Promises a reunion ahead.

Good bye, my friend, without a handshake, without a word,
Do not get sad or show sorrow with your eyebrows,
Dying is nothing new in this life,
But living, of course, isn't novel either.

S. Yesenin, ‹1925›

From 'jporter'
"This is a tragedy for the Russian people, that one of the few who was prepared to tell them the truth is no more. She will be missed. It is a sign of how desperate the criminals who now rule Russia are that they fear the truth enough to murder those who speak it. Though this is a sad time, we must not let them win; we must carry on for the sake of Russia and the world, doing Anya's work.
"J Porter from UK"

'Lev':
"...She gave us all strength..."

'Olga':
"My tears choke me, it's hard to write, such an honest person, so close to my heart.
"These reptiles are killing the last people, hoping that a society of beasts remains. They hope to frighten everyone, to make us stop thinking. Let the earth be your pillow, Lord protect her bright spirit, Amen."

From 'Louhi':
"On http://www.voinenet.ru/index.php?aid=8237 there is a link to the Helsinki demonstration with candles."

'Dn Lasha':
"Anya Politkovskaya -- may God bless her soul, and make her memory to be eternal!
"Dn Lasha Tchantouridze
"Winnipeg, Canada"

'Sergey':
"Today Russia has no conscience. They killed it.
"Sergey, NY"

It's too bad the season for 'Orange Revolutions' is over, and the Russian soil isn't fertile enough.

From 'Boris':
"Dear friends,
"My family , my friends and myself - all of us greive because of Anna Politkovskaya's murder.
"We are permanent readers of your newspaper because you one of a few Russian newspapers that carries truth. Anna was your flag, she was your face and we were always waiting for her articles.
"To our sorrow, the best and one more Russian journalist has been killed.
"Take, please our condolences.
"Your readers in USA"

'Mihail Bogomolov':
"Anna Stepanovna, forgive us! But we do not say 'farewell!' You remain with us, as one of the few people who didn't just look upon the government scum, but called them exactly what they deserved: scum.

Don't say with sorrow: 'They are gone!' But with gratitude: 'They were!'

"Mihail Bogomolov, Moscow"

'Yurii':
"SUCH news from Russia already doesn't suprise us, we all felt the sharp pain when we knew of Anna Politkovskaya's death. There are fewer and fewer people who aren't afraid to 'take to the streets', and Politkovskaya was the brightest light among them."

From 'Marina':
"It's hard to be an honest person in a bandit land..."

From 'Aleksandr Usachev':
"Who is behind this and the earlier murders?
"Who wishes to stand with one foot in Europe, and with the other leg kick the objectionables in the rear and tries to keep his balance in the process?
"Who is next?
"Who will be the last?
"God grant that the last victim of this undeclared war on the truth is Anna Politkovskaya...
"Eternal is her memory, and condolences to her loved ones.
"Aleksandr Usachev, Minsk"

From 'amstist':
"We knew each other for many, many years...
"Anna was for me an example of courage and impartiality. A JOURNALIST IN CAPITAL LETERS!!!
"The best monument to Anna is Novaya Gazeta, which isn't afraid to remain the soapbox for such people as Politkovskaya.
"Leonid Amstislavsky
"Journalist for Jewish World, New York, USA"

From 'Mihail':
"Thank you, for the truth! For freedom! For the example!
"You are a hero!
"Rest in peace."

From 'Smeets':
"On behalf of the Dutch weekly De Groene Amsterdammer, I would like to express our grief and distress after the cool blooded murder of Anna Politovskaya, not only a brave and smart journalist but also an example for future generations. The killer of Anna Politovskaya not only took her life and destroyed her family, but also tried to kill democratic Russia as a whole, moreover in a period that democratic Russia is already under increasing pressure to survive. Therefor, on behalf of De Groene Amsterdammer, I would to express our solidarity with the staff of Novaya Gazeta and with all other journalists in Russia, who believe sincerelly that fact finding is the bottom line of journalism and that a free and democratic society cannot exist without responsible journalists, like Anna Politovskaya, who try to be more than their masters voice. The powerfull men, who are scared by journalists, are in fact afraid for their own people, which they pretend to serve but in fact cheat.
"Hubert Smeets
"Editor in chief
"De Groene Amsterdammer"

From Novaya Gazeta:
http://2006.novayagazeta.r u/nomer/2006/78n/n78n-s00.shtml

WE SAW OFF ANYA

       Thousands of people arrived to give their last respects to the brutally murdered journalist. (Our colleagues in journalism from other papers wrote about 'hundreds' coming to Anya's funeral, but in truth there were thousands). People came, following the commands of their hearts and consciences.
       Dozens of ambassadors from very significant foreign states, as well as ordinary people, stood next to each other in the hall of farewells. All were able to say their final goodbye. (We express our appreciation to the organizers of this sad ceremony). The hall, designed for 500, could only hold a thousand. The rest waited patiently, in order to prevent a crush. The government dispatched a deputy cultural minister.
       Our last bow to Anya lasted two hours. There were no hysterics, even though strength and nerves were stretched to the limit. There were no problems, despite the huge crowd. (The special police, who came at our request to maintain order, had nothing to do.) Several dozen journalists, from Russia and the rest of the world (and this is not a figure of speech) behaved very correctly. The relatives of Anya asked that there not be a single photographer or television camera at the funeral. .
       Last Tuesday all of us, without exception, bid this person farewell.

Many, many more photographs here:
http://2006.novayagazeta.r u/nomer/2006/78n/n78n-s00.shtml

Soon to be published on http://www.nordostjustice.org/

What will we allow them to do tomorrow?

"Women, men, adults and children! Today we are stuck in a life or death situation. We all have parents, relatives, or children. Their lives are on your consciences. We beg that you solve this problem peacefully, otherwise much blood will end up being spilled."

This was the appeal of the hostages from the "brilliant success" that carried away 130 lives, and left behind 60 orphans, hundreds permanently handicapped, and wrecked the lives of the thousands whose relatives and loved ones never returned from the theater. These monstrous statistics, however, do reflect the complete scale of the tragedy: the future is now predetermined by the "gas attack" at Dubrovka.

Dubrovka is Moscow's legal precedent, a license to use such gas chambers in the struggle against terrorism. Our "ostrich" politics and silent consent to the "anything goes" policies of the Russian authorities makes this legitimate. Moscow's strategy at Dubrovka, "do not ask at what price victory", shows that the community is a potential hostage of the Russian president's ambitions, and that civilians are nothing more than potential victims of future 'Nord-Ost' gas chambers.

Russian defense minister Sergey Ivanov was not speaking rhetorically when he promised to use "all effective weapons, other than nuclear" in the struggle against the terrorist threat. This gas attack in the center of Moscow in the 21st century is a kind of neutron bomb, which kills people while leaving buildings undamaged. For the first time in peacetime, a civilized, "democrat" government has used secret chemical substances against thousands of peaceful civilians.

The promotions and awards of the secret "heroes of 'Nord-Ost'," and the unaccountability of those who successfully risked the lives of strangers, will be a stimulus for future operations to poison, burn, and kill terrorists along with their hostages. We, who are all someone's children and someone's parents, cannot trust the destiny of ourselves and our loved ones to those who view our lives as nothing more than a tactical decision, a flip of the coin while calculating actions to their own selfish benefit.

The persistence of these executioners in evading responsibility, in avoiding the legal process, has laid bare not only the scale of the conspiracy, but the animal fear they have of punishment. It is a long-standing, tragic tradition in Russia to murder of those who will not bend to the will of the authorities. Now they have forever silenced Anna Politkovskaya. Anna's voice was the alarm bell of 'Nord-Ost', and she was intimately connected to the 'Nord-Ost' case, just as a mother and her newborn are connected by an umbilicus. Anna's courage was admired everywhere, even by the terrorists, but her irreconcilability infuriated the authorities and exposed their impotence. How awful must be the truth, how dangerous it must be for those who have something to hide, if they can only hide from it with the help of a bullet?

Why does the bell toll - what was Anya writing about?

She wrote that an evil ignored gives birth to an even greater evil, that a crime that goes unpunished is doomed to repeat itself.

She wrote that there are real people behind the tragedy at Dubrovka, and they have names, ranks, and titles, and these must be made known. She wrote that they have a duty to save and protect, not to murder. She wrote that only an independent investigation into the responsibility of the Russian leadership for 'Nord-Ost', and a trial of the murderers, could protect us from future crimes by today's authorities, as well as the crimes of tomorrow’s authorities at the next 'Nord-Ost' and Beslan.

For whom does the bell toll - for whom was Anya writing?

She wrote for those who were killed in this 21st century gas chamber, for the children who were shot and incinerated in the school, for the citizens who were tortured and tormented in Chechnya. She wrote for those whom we have to duty to remember. She wrote for the future of our children and grandchildren, so that the world they are born into would be worthy of them.

For whom did the bell toll on October 10th?

It tolled for Anna Politkovskaya, and the question: what will we allow them to do tomorrow? If we do not find an answer, than WE have allowed THEM to murder. On October 7th, we, the 'Nord-Ost' victims, were once again made orphans; once again we lost our OWN.

Do not ask for whom does the bell toll... listen to it...

Lubov Burban

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