DEATH OF NATALYA ESTEMIROVA

That this House is shocked and deeply saddened by the death of Chechen human rights activist Natalya Estemirova on 15 July 2009; is very concerned by reports that Ms Estemirova was forced into a vehicle by four men in Grozny, Chechnya, and was then found dead later in the day in neighbouring Ingushetia, with two close-range bullet wounds to her head; notes that Natalya campaigned tirelessly with the organisation Memorial to defend human rights in Chechnya since 2000, for which she received many awards, including the European Parliament Robert Schuman medal in 2005, and worked with UK parliamentarians to raise awareness of the human rights situation in Chechnya; and calls on the Government to raise her case with the authorities in Chechnya, Ingushetia and Russia as a matter of urgency.