posted by zaina19 on October, 2006 as Human Rights
From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng (Original Message) Sent: 10/10/2006 3:03 PM Tuesday, October 10, 2006 Russia: Where's Putin? Russia - Funeral : Women throw flowers on the road in front of the car carrying the coffin of Anna Politkovskaya at Troyekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow, 10Oct2006 The hearse carrying the body of Anna Politkovskaya makes its rose-strewn way toward the Troyekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow (epa) Expressions of sorrow and calls for justice have been heard from numerous world leaders and rights watchdogs since the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya on October 7. But in the days since Russian President Vladimir Putin has been largely silent, offering his first public comment only today.
MOSCOW, October 10, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- More than a thousand mourners today gathered at Moscow's Troyekurovskoye Cemetery for the funeral of Anna Politkovskaya, a woman many described as one of the country's bravest and most influential journalists.
"There have been other journalists in Russia who wrote the truth, but her voice sounded louder than anybody else's," Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the Yabloko party, told RFE/RL's Russian Service.
In the end, Politkovskaya was killed because of her refusal to soften her criticism of the Kremlin, he believes. "There have been other journalists in Russia who wrote the truth, but her voice sounded louder than anybody else's."
"She was not simply a political journalist; she was a political opponent of the authorities. In this case it is evident that they have destroyed a political opponent. The authorities have begun eliminating their political opponents physically."
Speaking at the funeral, Russia's human rights ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, echoed a call heard many times since Politkovskaya was gunned down in her apartment block in Moscow.
It was time, he said, for the state to take steps to keep its journalists safe from danger.
"I have many times drawn the attention of our authorities at the highest level to the fact that journalists are in a dire situation, that they should be protected," Lukin said. "Regrettably, the situation is not getting better."
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