Russian Authorities Must Find Those Who Ordered Politkovskaya Murder

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have welcomed the convictions of the murderers of the journalist Anna Politkovskaya, but they have urged Russian authorities to continue their investigations and to find those people who ordered the killing. On Tuesday, 20 May, a Moscow court found five men guilty of murdering Politkovskaya, a renowned investigate journalist and frequent Kremlin critic. She was shot dead in what was believed to be a contract killing in the elevator of her apartment block in 2006. According to reports, three of the defendants who were convicted had been acquitted in a previous trial. The IFJ and EFJ have joined international calls for investigations into the case to continue. “It is hugely positive news that the killers of Anna Politkovskaya have been convicted of this horrific crime,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “But the fight for justice for our colleague Anna is not over. “We urge authorities in Russia to push forward with their investiogation and to ensure that those people who ordered this killing are identified and convicted for the crime. Only then can justice be truly done.” For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 17                 The IFJ represents more than 600 000 journalists in 134 countries