Russia pledges to pursue journalist murder probes

Russia pledges to pursue journalist murder probes

September 30, 2010

Top Russian investigators have pledged to pursue 19 cases of murdered journalists presented to them by a delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists, reopening several closed cases and pursuing new leads in a number of other probes.

The CPJ delegation, led by board member Kati Marton and CPJ Chairman Paul Steiger, met Tuesday with Aleksandr Bastrykin, chairman of the Investigative Committee, and a dozen investigators probing individual cases. "It's a matter of honor for us to solve these murders," Bastrykin told the CPJ delegation. "It's a matter of proving our professionalism."

The Investigative Committee, responsible for probing the most serious crimes in Russia, has been given greater autonomy under a plan announced this week that has the agency reporting directly to President Dmitry Medvedev. The Investigative Committee had previously reported to the federal Prosecutor General's office.

"We were encouraged by our three-hour-long meeting with the Investigative Committee and the thorough, detailed briefing we received," Marton said. "Investigators reported progress in a number of cases. Of course, we will not be satisfied until we see prosecutions and convictions."

Marton and other CPJ representatives met with the Investigative Committee in September 2009 to discuss the string of unsolved journalist murders in Russia. Investigators invited CPJ to return to Moscow this year for an update.

CPJ