Anna Politkovskaya remembered
[video:google:-1006358898865632661&ei] Investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya would have celebrated her 50th birthday today had she not been gunned down in Moscow in October 2006. Russian human rights groups intend to gather in central Moscow today to remember her,“On August 30, on the day of Anna Politkovskaya’s birthday, we want to honor her memory and again stress her importance for Russia,” said Russia’s human rights activist, Lev Ponomaryov.
The meeting, which will be held in Triumfalnaya Square, is being organized by the Moscow Helsinki Group, the For Human Rights movement and the United Civil Front group, led by Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov.
Around 300 people, including journalists from Novaya Gazeta, the newspaper that Anna Politkovskaya was working for at the time of her murder in 2006, as well as those mentioned in her books and articles are expected to gather for the rally. link
In June 2008 four men were charged with the murder of the journalist. In 2007, Channel 4’s Dispatches looked at the case in a documentary titled Murdering the truth. You can watch the first part by clicking the video above or watch the whole documentary.
UPDATE: They did manage to gather in Triumfalnaya Square today. AFP has more,
“Politkovskaya was the heart of Russia…it’s the regime that killed her,” said human rights advocate Sergey Kovalev. Former world chess champion and outspoken Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov called for a monument in honour of the journalist. link