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Destroying freedom, conscience and truth has become an everyday matter in Russia. Today the whole world grieves for journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who died a tragic death. We can attest that Jeanne d’Arc lived and worked among us. We knew her through her articles in “Novaya Gazeta” (“New Newspapar”), through her actions, through her devotion to people and the idea of serving them, and with her courage.

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She always appeared where she was needed; she did her inner duty – to rescue, to protect those who are in danger, to do the impossible for them, to support them in their belief and fairness – and fairness often came to them with her image. What she did for the people of Chechnya, was not done by anybody else. Many wonderful people, journalists and others, went there, wrote what they saw. They rang the bell, tried to tell the truth (differing from the official lie and propaganda), and tried not to allow the world to forget this shameful war of Russia where there was unbelievable cruelty and cynicism, where for more than ten years people have been killed for ethnic reasons.
English actress Vanessa Redgrave, French philosopher Andre Gluksmann, dissident and President Vaclav Havel, unsurpassed critic of Soviet system Zbignev Bzhezinsky, general Ruslan Aushev, rights defender Sergey Kovalev, military journalist major Vyacheslav Izmaylov, society “Memorial”, Amnesty International, Human Right Watch and many – many others did their best to protect the inhabitants of Chechnya, as well as Russian soldiers, who received “military baptism” in this hell.

Russian authorities and military turned Chechnya into a “zone” hidden from the world. Only Anna Politkovskaya, never leaving her post, despite prohibitions and threats, went to Chechnya again and again, when almost nobody went there anymore. She lived in the line of fire because she went against the machinery of the state, against the people, against those having supreme authority, against mercantile interests and insatiable appetites of federals, against instincts, that emerged out of this unfair war, against growing fascism.

She made her choice consciously and confidently. Gradually the circle narrowed, and Anna worked for everyone because she could not abandon those people who believed in her.
The reaction to and behavior of Russian society towards Anna Politkovskaya’s death and the international resonance shows how great her role was within Russia and in the world.
We bow before Anna Politkovskaya’s memory.

Armenian National Committee
“School of Democracy”
“Cooperation for Democracy”
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor

Anahit Bayabdur, public activist, laureate of premium Olofa to Palma
Stepan Danielyan, analyst
Natalia Martirosyan, public activist
Hovsep Khurshudyan, political scientist
Stepan Safaryan, political scientist
Artsrun Pepanyan, TV commentator
Yervand Bozoyan, political scientist
Arthur Sakunts, rights defender
Mikael Hayrapetyan, public activist
Anna Zhamakochyan, sociologist
Evelina Gyulkhandaryan, sociologist
Khachatur Bezirjyan, expert, specialist in conflict studies
Marina Ghazaryants, coordinator of programs on refugee issues, the biologist
Armine Ohanyan, journalist
Gayane Markosyan, senior lecturer of faculty of journalism at State University
Gohar Grigoryan, teacher
Ruben Vardanyan, specialist in the orient
Elen Meliksetyan, analyst
Georgi Vantsyan, public activist

Armenia
October 2006