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Russia needs to mount serious investigation
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October 10th, 2007 issue

A conference in Prague last week highlighted the shameful lack of progress in the investigation of the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya (See story, A4). The Prague Post stands with its colleagues in Russia and across the globe in defending reporters and freedom of the press. Toward that end, we offer excerpts below from a letter sent Oct. 4 by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists to Russian President Vladimir Putin detailing problems with the investigation.

One year after the assassination of Novaya Gazeta investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya, the response by your nation’s law enforcement, judicial and political institutions remains under intense international scrutiny. In Russia and across the world, leaders and citizens expect an investigation that is diligent, transparent and free of political influence. Thus far, the signals have not been encouraging …
Recent developments have raised many questions. Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika announced at an Aug. 27 press conference the arrests of 10 suspects allegedly involved in Politkovskaya’s killing. … Chaika did not name the suspects or explain their alleged roles. He also said, without citing evidence to back his assertion, that the killing had been masterminded by overseas enemies aiming to destabilize Russia …
The names of the suspects [subsequently] appeared in the Russian press; the stories cited unnamed sources. … The unofficial disclosure of the names, Novaya Gazeta has argued, was premature and damaging to the investigation. The paper has said the disclosures signaled to the masterminds and accomplices at large to take flight …
By Aug. 30, Russian news agencies reported the release of two suspects from custody after authorities failed to build cases solid enough to justify detention beyond the 10-day allowable limit …
At the same time, a troubling reshuffle has taken place in the investigative team. On Sept. 4, the prosecutor general’s office replaced the top case investigator, Pyotr Garibyan, whose work had been praised by Novaya Gazeta and the journalist’s family as professional, dogged and effective.
[Earlier this week] in an interview for the Moscow-based daily Izvestiya, the director of the investigation committee at the prosecutor general’s office said he could not “rule out” the possibility that Politkovskaya’s murder was commissioned by parties abroad. However, Aleksandr Bastrykin said, this was one of six theories that investigators are considering and that “we’re investigating all of them thoroughly.”
This raises questions as to why Prosecutor General Chaika chose to highlight the “enemies abroad” theory during his Aug. 27 press conference. Chaika did not mention other possible theories, leading many to believe that his announcement was serving a political purpose.
Ten months ago, in speaking about the Politkovskaya assassination, you told reporters: “I cannot imagine that anybody currently in office could come to the idea of organizing such a brutal crime.” You went on to say that the murder was ordered by overseas conspirators “to create a wave of anti-Russian sentiment internationally.”
We urge you to ensure that law enforcement officials pursue a thorough, transparent and unbiased investigation into Anna Politkovskaya’s murder. A successful prosecution would demonstrate your government’s commitment to reversing Russia’s record of impunity in journalist murders and to protecting Russia’s press corps — a pledge you made during your annual news conference at the Kremlin Feb. 1.
We await your reply.


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