A year after human rights activist’s death, investigation still on

The suspected killer of prominent Russian activist Natalya Estemirova has been identified and placed on a wanted list, President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday.

Thursday marks the one-year anniversary since the kidnapping and death of Natalya Estemirova in the North Caucasus Republic of Chechnya.

Estemirova was well-known for her work investigating extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, torture and abuses of authority in Chechnya.

An award-winning journalist, Estemirova wrote for a Caucasus-based news website and worked for the Memorial Center – one of Russia’s oldest human rights organizations.

“I would like to say that the investigation into this case is in full swing,” President Medvedev assured the press on Thursday after a series of talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “The killer of Estimirova has been identified…he has been put on a wanted list. And finally, the investigation will continue to find those who ordered this heavy crime.”