'There is State Terror in Russia'
Colleagues of Murdered Human Rights Activist Speak Out
Natalya Estemirova Murder Sparks Outrage
Government officials and Estemirova's colleagues agree that it was her work that led to her death, though investigators say they're studying all possible motives. Friends and colleagues gathered in Moscow this afternoon for a press conference, expressing skepticism that there would be justice at the end of the process.
"The track record [in Russia] is atrocious; the track record is that no one has been held accountable for any of the murders of human rights activists or journalists over the last few years," Allison Gill, an American working with Human Rights Watch, told ABC News.
"There's a lot of work to do before that track record is improved, and that means holding somebody accountable."
"Natasha's murder was so brazen and has touched so many people that it will be a kind of call to arms or a wake-up call to those who care about what happens inside Russia, including the Russian authorities who first and foremost bear the responsibility for upholding the rule of law in this country," Gill added optimistically.
The head of Russia's Investigative Committee flew to Chechnya today to start the investigation, and a spokesman for the Interior Ministry promised it would do everything in its power to solve the crime.
Estemirova had worked with Memorial since 2000, investigating and documenting kidnappings, assassinations and other human rights abuses across the North Caucasus region along Russia's southern border.
The day she was murdered, a report Estemirova contributed to came out calling for officials, including Putin, to be held accountable for crimes committed while they were in office.
Estemirova's body has now left Grozny and will be buried near her father in the village of Kochkeldy.
"Natasha was the soul of our organization, and it means that they killed our soul," said Orlov. "It is awful, the loss is irreplaceable."
Tanya Stukalova contributed reporting
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