| Show Slain journalist is honored Put in is criticized David Holley Los Angeles Times Critics of Russian President Vladimir V. V gathered in a central Moscow square Sunday to honor a slain investigative journalist journal and call on ci citizens to unite in her name to fight for greater democracy About 2000 protesters gathered on a cold drizzly day to hear opposition poli rights and rights human leaders praise the courage of Anna who was gunned down in her apartment building exactly one year earlier Former Prime Minister Mikhail M. M now nowa a top opposition leader said ranks among Russia's greatest spiritual leaders alongside late Nobel Peace Prize Prizewinner Prizewinner Prizewinner winner Andrei who has made clear that he intends to run for president next year warned that with controls tightening over election procedures and the erosion of media freedom Russians must fight to protect their country from sliding back toward totalitarianism was wasa a fierce critic of and his policies in war- war torn tom where she believed the effort to suppress a separatist insurgency had led to massive rights human-rights violations The Russian president suggested last year that she had been killed by his opponents to make Russia and its leadership look bad a comment that enraged her admirers Russian Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika announcing arrests in the case in August said the journalist was murdered by a led contract killing gang working together with former and current officers of the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service often had written about criminal interactions between gangsters and security officials Lyudmila chairwoman of the Moscow Helsinki Group a prominent rights human-rights organization told Sundays Sunday's crowd They murdered her because she was fearless She was fighting against lawlessness against violence and against lies Despite the alleged involvement of Russian security officials Chaika supported initial supposition and declared at athis athis his August news conference without offering evidence that murder resulted from a plot initiated by exiled opponents of the Kremlin Among those who respected that statement has prompted deep skepticism as to the willingness of authorities to conduct an unbiased investigation aimed at finding the real instigators of her death We Ve will never learn the truth about the murder as long as the current authorities are in power said Alexei 20 a student who attended the rally But it seems that they are planning to cling firmly finnly to power for years to come has been criticized by democracy advocates for establishing state control over nationwide television networks ending the direct election of governors and setting balloting rules that make it difficult for opposition candidates to win seats in parliament is required by the constitution to step down when his second term ends next spring Given his high popularity ratings and Kremlin dominance of television it is widely expected that voters will endorse whomever he favors as his successor Also in comments earlier this month indicated that he might retain political influence after leaving the presidency by serving as prime minister As has been the case at all major opposition protests this year a large number of police were on duty Sunday with about 1000 officers in the immediate vicinity of the rally Critics say such seemingly disproportionate shows of force reflect authorities' authorities fear of opposition There were no reports of clashes Boris a prominent opposition leader who spoke at the rally sharply attacked Put in for comments after death The president said at the time that this murder has done more damage to Russia and the current authorities of Russia and which she has been covering lately in her work than articles Those words were full of cynicism and cruelty said He also referred to a recent appearance by at a congress of the United Russia party which dominates parliament He described the delegates as servants clapping for their master We should understand that the Russia of servants has said Free Russia strong Russia courageous Russia has Anna and truth Yelena Ter-Akopyan Ter a pensioner in the crowd said she had come to the rally because she loved her country and loved I want my country to be respected and trusted not feared she said Most important is not notto notto notto to be scared Look how is afraid of us she added in a reference to the overwhelming police presence But j Akopyan uTer-Akopyan admitted that in fact she was scared I 1 am afraid id b but t fear should tell us that it is necessary to act she said Im afraid for myself Im I'm afraid for my relatives And Im I'm afraid for my country |
