Front Line calls on President Medvedev to urgently establish an independent investigation, in association with international experts, into the killing of human rights defender Zarema Sadulayeva and her husband Alik Djibralov .

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“On 11 August 2009 at approximately 04.00 am the bodies of human rights defender Zarema Sadulayeva and her husband Alik Djibralov were found in the boot of a car in a suburb of the Chechen capital of Grozny and now we mourn yet another human rights defender who has been killed while working to help innocent victims of the war in Chechnya” said Mary Lawlor Executive Director of Front Line, in Dublin.

Zarema Sadulayeva was head of “Let’s Save the Generation”, which works with children who have been affected by the violence in the troubled Russian republic and is the latest human rights defender to be murdered.

Following the killing of Natalia Estemyrova President Medvedev of Russia spoke out very strongly to condemn that killing and to state that every effort would be made to bring the perpetrators to justice. He added “It is obvious to me that this murder is linked to her professional work and this work is necessary for any normal state.”

“Despite these strong words by President Medvedev what now appears to be normal in the Russian Federation is that any human rights defender who stands up for the rights of others and who challenges abuse of power by the state is, at least, likely to receive threats and be the victim of slanderous campaigns of misinformation and direct physical attack or, as is increasingly the case, become the latest victim in a campaign of assassinations”, said Ms Lawlor

While President Kadyrov of Chechnya promised to lead the investigation into the killing of Natalia Estemyrova personally Front Line has no confidence that he will follow through on this commitment in the light of his recent comments on Natalia Estemirova in an interview with Radio Free Europe – “ Estemyrova] never had any honour or sense of shame”. However we have to ask the key question – How is it that in a state saturated with military and police presence killers can seemingly target human rights defenders at will?

“Since the beginning of 2009 Front Line has already reported the assassinations of Natalia Estemyrova, Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova. Front Line has also documented threats and attacks on: Yelena Maglevannaya who works for the newspaper Svobodnoye slovo (Free world), Malika Zubajraeva. who campaigned against the use of torture during the war in Chechnya Alexei Sokolov is the chairman of the NGO Pravovaja osnova (Legal Foundation) which defends prisoners’ rights Maxim Efimov who works to combating anti-Semitism and racism in Russian society.

Since 2000 16 journalists alone have been killed for doing their job reporting on human rights issues.

“It is clear that there is neither the moral commitment nor the political will to take meaningful action to investigate these crimes, to bring the perpetrators to justice but above all to take action to end the climate of impunity which prevents human rights defenders from being able to continue their legitimate work without the risk of further assassinations “ said Ms Lawlor.

Front Line calls on President Medvedev to urgently establish an independent investigation into the killing of human rights defender Zarema Sadulayeva and her husband Alik Djibralov .

Front Line calls on Commissioner Hammerberg of the Council of Europe to intervene with the Russian authorities to ensure an independent investigation into the killing of human rights defender Zarema Sadulayeva and her husband Alik Djibralov in line with his mandate to intervene “in serious situations where there is a need for urgent action”.

For further Information please contact:

Jim Loughran, Head of Communications, Front Line Telephone + 353 1 212 3750 MOBILE + 353 (0)87 9377586