Doc. 11413
4 October 2007

The Anna Politkovskaya Case

Written Declaration No 403

This written declaration commits only the members who have signed it

      The undersigned members of the Parliamentary Assembly,

1. Noting that the Assembly is composed of parliamentarians from 47 states committed to the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law;

2. Underlining that all Member States are committed to defend these principles;

3. Whereas Anna Politkovskaya, a respected Russian journalist and human rights activist whose articles critical of Russia’s conduct of the war in Chechnya, human rights abuses, suspect business dealings and corruption, was shot dead in Moscow on October 7, 2006. Said murder remains unsolved;

4. According to Reporters Without Borders, 21 journalists have been murdered in Russia since March 2000; many still unsolved;

5. Several murdered journalists had reported on alleged corruption and human rights abuses by Russian authorities, the war in Chechnya, and corruption, at all levels,

      Calls upon the Council of Europe Member States to:

1.       recognize the vital contribution made by independent journalists in Russia in bringing transparency after decades of Communism;

2.       urge President Putin to seek competent, independent outside law enforcement assistance in the investigation of the unsolved murders of numerous independent journalists;

3.       propose the establishment of an international investigation to assist the Russian authorities successfully conclude the Politkovskaya investigation and ensure that justice is done.

Signed¹:

• IVANOV Ivan Nikolaev, Bulgaria, EPP/CD
• ADAM Ulrich, Germany, EPP/CD
• ALIGRUDIĆ Miloš, Serbia, EPP/CD
• ALMÁSSY Kornél, Hungary, EPP/CD
• BANOVIĆ Donka, Serbia, EPP/CD
• BARCELÓ PÉREZ Miguel, Spain, EPP/CD
• BECERRIL BUSTAMANTE Soledad, Spain, EPP/CD
• BIBERAJ Aleksandër, Albania, EPP/CD
• BRANDE Luc Van den, Belgium, EPP/CD
• CIRCENE Ingrida, Latvia, EPP/CD
• CLIVETI Minodora, Romania, SOC
• CUBREACOV Vlad, Moldova, EPP/CD
• DEITTERT Hubert, Germany, EPP/CD
• DUESUND Åse Gunhild Woie, Norway, EPP/CD
• ÉKES József, Hungary, EPP/CD
• FOSS Per-Kristian, Norway, EPP/CD
• FRUNDA György, Romania, EPP/CD
• GRUBER Attila, Hungary, EPP/CD
• HAIBACH Holger, Germany, EPP/CD
• HERKEL Andres, Estonia, EPP/CD
• HÖRSTER Joachim, Germany, EPP/CD
• JAZŁOWIECKA Danuta, Poland, EPP/CD
• KALANDADZÉ Nino, Georgia, EPP/CD
• LINDBLAD Göran, Sweden, EPP/CD
• LINTNER Eduard, Germany, EPP/CD
• NÉMETH Zsolt, Hungary, EPP/CD
• NEUGEBAUER Fritz, Austria, EPP/CD
• PERNASKA Lajla, Albania, EPP/CD
• POURGOURIDES Christos, Cyprus, EPP/CD
• SASI Kimmo, Finland, EPP/CD
• SCHRAM Ellert B., Iceland, SOC
• VAREIKIS Egidijus, Lithuania, EPP/CD
• VĖSAITĖ Birutė, Lithuania, SOC
• WACH Piotr, Poland, EPP/CD

__________________________

Total = 34

¹     SOC: Socialist Group
      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
      EDG: European Democratic Group
      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
      NR: not registered in a group