Putin promises to punish Politkovskaya’s killers

Read it in Russian

Murder of Novaya Gazeta reporter, Anna Politkovskaya caused harsh reaction by the US State Department that called Russian authorities to find and punish murderers of the journalist. Politkovskaya, who was slain last week in her apartment building in Moscow, had dual Russian-American citizenship, reports Komsomolskaya Pravda. The information was confirmed at the US embassy press office in Moscow.

Vladimir Putin promises that Russian authorities will do their utmost for Anna Politkovskaya’s murderers to be punished as they deserve it. “Whoever is behind this abominable crime, they should be found, exposed and punished. We shall do our utmost to reach this aim,” he is quoted as saying to ARD TV-Channel (Germany). Putin once again reiterated his idea that murder of the reporter damaged Russia and its leadership’s image more than her publications did. “Politkovskaya was well-known in journalist circles, among human rights groups and in the West; inside Russia she was not so widely known and did not influence public opinion. So, her publications were not of such character,” the Russian president said.

Anna was born in 1958 in New York, in a family of Soviet diplomats. According to US legislation, a person born in the country can obtain US passport after attaining his or her majority. In early 1990s, after the USSR collapse, Politkovskaya obtained a US passport via the American embassy in Moscow. At the same time she remained a Russian citizen.

The prominent reporter, who repeatedly called for observing human rights, in particular, in Chechnya, was killed in her apartment building on October 7. The investigation is developing three versions on the case: revenge by police officers, who after her publications were imprisoned or wanted by police, conspiracy by enemies of Vladimir Putin and Chechen Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov as well as revenge by former militants who switched to the side of governmental forces.