Последнее интервью Натальи Эстемировой

The interview is in Russian and the sound quality is not so hot - but it is valuable to hear this Natalya Khusainovna Estemirova explicitly describe what she has found in her investigations, how the authorities running Chechnya were implicated in horrible human rights abuses. Looking into these matters is dangerous, as was proven when this courageous woman was abducted and murdered on July 15, 2009.

As far as I know, the investigation into her murder has completely stalled - if indeed there were ever any effort to find her killers. Everyone really knows who pulled the strings. Ramzan Kadyrov, the president of Chechnya, had earlier threatened Ms. Estemirova. The Kremlin is quite content to let him rule his fief as he sees fit - even if his rule means murder, rape, and brutal oppression for the inhabitants of Chechnya.

You can find other material like this at Кавказкий Узел.

Yet more repression in Moscow

The author of this interesting post suggests that Western leaders are still hoping for signs of liberalism from Medvedev. I hope that they are not so naive - but I suppose that it's possible.

The post itself is disturbing. Two more human rights organizations coming under pressure from Russian authorities. Nothing really new, over course. But these two organizations are quite prominent, and the fact that the authorities move against them with such impunity is discouraging.