| Press Statement Sean McCormack Washington, DC October 7, 2006 Russia: Murder of Journalist Anna PolitkovskayaThe United States is shocked and profoundly saddened by the brutal murder of independent Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was killed today in her Moscow apartment building. A highly respected and tireless investigative reporter and author, as well as the mother of two children, Politkovskaya devoted much of her career to shining a light on human rights abuses and other atrocities of the war in Chechnya and the plight of Chechen refugees. We extend our deepest sympathies to her family. Personally courageous and committed to seeking justice even in the face of previous death threats, Politkovskaya was the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Civil Courage Prize by the Trustees of the Northcote Parkinson Fund in 2005, the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation in 2002, the Golden Pen Award from the Russian Union of Journalists in 2000, the Prize for Journalism and Democracy from the OSCE, as well as awards from the Overseas Press Club and Amnesty International. The United States urges the Russian government to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation in order to find, prosecute, and bring to justice all those responsible for this heinous murder. The intimidation and murder of journalists -- 12 in Russia in the past six years, including American citizen Paul Klebnikov on July 9, 2004 -- is an affront to free and independent media and to democratic values. 2006/900 |
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