Oleg Orlov has been involved in humanitarian issues in Chechnya since 2002.
Photo: Andrey Lukin
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Ombudsman Walks Out of a State Council over Politkovskaya’s Murder
A reputed human rights defender has tended his resignation from a civil society and human rights council at the Russian president’s administration after Vladimir Putin commented the killing of the famous journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
Oleg Orlov, chair of the Memorial human rights center, tended his resignation to the president of the human rights council Ella Pamfilova Monday morning. The ombudsman said he was no longer able to sit on the council after Vladimir Putin’s comment on the murder of Anna Politkovskaya.
Speaking in Germany, the Russian president said the murder “dealt a greater blow on authorities in office than her [Politkovskaya’s] articles had done.” Putin also added that the journalist’s influence on the political life in Russia “had been very insignificant.”
Oleg Orlov finds the only one explanation for these words: Anna Politkovskaya’s activities "have done harm to Russia or to 'authorities in office' as the president put it." "The only thing authorities were expected to do in the situation was to say words of condolence, promise to punish the criminals and recognize services of the steadfast journalist before society and authority," he said. However, quite the opposite happened. In this situation Orlov has found his work at the council senseless.
Oleg Orlov has worked in the human rights council at the Russian president’s administration since 2002. Over the past years, the ombudsman was involved in humanitarian issues in Chechnya.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 17, 2006
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