Kremlin is behind Politkovskaya's murder, politicians state

In the opinion of a number of Russian politicians, the Kremlin servants are behind the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, a "Novaya Gazeta" observer. Besides, after the murder of the journalist, the "Commersant" writes, they have started talking in political circles about a certain "black list," comprising, in particular, also the names of the journalists who are criticizing the existing ruling powers.

"I'll not disclose the names of journalists - their lives are precious for me. Having read particular names, any wacko may put them against the gunpoint," Boris Nemtsov, member of the Political Board of the Union of Right-Wing Forces ("SPS") told the "Caucasian Knot." "And how should I live on with that? Despite the fact that in Putin's Russia there is a ban on independent politics and independent journalism, it doesn't mean a ban on life. I knew Anna Politkovskaya as a selfless and fearless person. She would have never bargained with her conscience. But now in Russia such people don't live long. Only toadies and hypocrites do."

Valeria Novodvorskaya, leader of the Democratic Union ("Demsoyuz") Party, said that "the list is already done." "And I'd like to know my number in it. The customer is well-known - the "Kremlin&Lubyanka and Co." I wouldn't link Politkovskaya's murder with Kadyrov: he hasn't yet ventured too far to act outside Chechnya. Ramzan, for sure, will be happy with her death, but this is not a present for his birthday," the politician believed.

"There are still many radical journalists left, who draw the fire upon themselves. The "Moskovskiy Komsomolets" ("MK") has insolent Maria Ozerova and Mark Deutch; however, many are chinning there. But I've never sued a journalist, to say nothing of ordering murders. I didn't know Politkovskaya personally. The problems she wrote about are universally known. To me it is not clear why one should write so toughly and provoke exacerbation," Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), noted, in his turn.

Alexander Osovtsov, member of the Federal Board of the "United Civil Front," is also sure that journalists' murders will go on in Russia. "I'd not call names, not to set up these people. I'd be glad to get mistaken, but I fear that Politkovskaya's murder is just a start. A certain group of Kremlin servants, having devised a series of murders, not of journalist only, are willing to discredit Putin in the eyes of the West, accusing him of having suppressed the media freedom on the vine in Russia," Osovtsov claimed.

"I'd fear for Dima Sokolov-Mitrich and Yulia Latynina," Eugene Roizman, a State Duma deputy said." "Dima may let himself write whatever he thinks, and Yulia would write and say this. I didn't agree with Politkovskaya on all the points, but I never saw any meanness or lucre in her."

Stanislav Terekhov, leader of the Officers' Union, marked, in his turn, that "he doesn't know any hero-journalist capable to hamper anybody." "The matter is not in the law on extremism, due to which my words may be interpreted as a call up thereto: now journalists are no obstacle to security officials. The "Novaya Gazeta" has been hard-hitting them for ten years, and Politkovskaya was killed only now. Her murder is linked with commercial projects, not with journalism," he thinks.

However, in the opinion of Franz Klintsevich, deputy head of the "Yedinaya Rossia" (United Russia) Duma fraction and Chairman of the Afghanistan Veterans' Union, Politkovskaya's murder is related exclusively to her journalist activities. "There still remain investigators, prosecutors and journalists taking up serious topics. I knew Anna personally, she was a fearless person, and her murder is to do with her professional activities. She wrote about clever people, clever enough to understand - the times of lawlessness are coming to an end; soon a tough order will be set in. I'm sure both the customers and performers of the murder will be found and punished," Klintsevich asserts.

We remind you that in the last in Anna Politkovskaya's life interview, which she gave by phone to the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" one and a half hours before the tragedy, the journalist was speaking about the carrier perspective of Ramzan Kadyrov, Prime Minister of Chechnya.