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Internews Mourns Death of Russian Investigative Journalist Anna Politkovskaya

Photo: Washington Profile

Internews Network joins the journalistic community all over the world in profound sadness and outrage over the brazen assassination of our colleague, Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya in Moscow, Russia on October 7.

Internews’ longtime friend Aleksey Simonov of the Glasnost Defense Foundation wrote about Anna the day after her murder: “We have no doubt that Anya was murdered for her words. Words that she had already spoken, or words that she was about to speak; there was no other force by which her words could have been silenced. She would have continued to speak loudly, articulating every letter...For Anna, any injustice towards others was a personal affront, the troubles of her subjects became her troubles, she experienced their troubled destiny as if it were her own."

In 2002, Anna received a Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation in recognition of her reporting on the war in Chechnya. Upon receiving the award, she said, "The courage of a journalist…consists in giving information to the people, much against their will, and making them think about the tragedy that the country is going through, think that this must be stopped."

In a 2004 article in the Guardian, Politkovskaya said she had no regrets about the times she had stepped outside the role of reporter while covering Chechnya. "Yes, I went beyond my journalistic role but it would be quite wrong to say that doing so was a bad move from a journalistic point of view. By setting aside my role as journalist I learned so much that I would never have found out being just a plain journalist, who stands in the crowd along with everyone else."

MORE INFORMATION:

Special Edition of Obshaya Gazeta on Politkovskaya (jn Russian)

Anna Politkovskaya memorial web site

English translation of the statement by the Moscow Charter of Journalists on Internews Russia's website

Fearless Reporter's Murder Draws International Outrage, International Freedom of Expression Exchange

“Journalist Gives Her Life for Her Profession,” (English translation) from Kommersant, a Russian daily news web site.