Natalia Estemirova gave interview to "Caucasian Knot" one day before her death

One day before kidnapping and murder of Natalia Estemirova, an employee of the HRC "Memorial", committed on July 15, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent had two telephone conversations with her about the situation with human rights in Chechnya.

The correspondent, in particular, asked Natalia Estemirova about the persons executed at night on July 13 in Urus-Martan (between Goi-Chu and Alkhazurovo villages) and Shali (between Chiri-Yurt and Duba-Yurt villages) Districts of Chechnya and about the latest news on kidnapping on July 7 in Dzhugurty village, Kurchaloy District of Chechnya, of Albekov father and son.

During the first conversation Natalia Estemirova said that Ramzan Albekov was executed in the presence of witnesses by employees of Russian power agencies. They told the witnesses that Ramzan had helped rebellious militants. His son Aziz was "nobody knows where."

Under Estemirova's statement, the Albekovs were absolutely ordinary people. "They had never been engaged in any improper activities. For 26 years they lived in the Stavropol Territory, and returned home only a year ago. The son has just finished school," said the human rights advocate.

Last year, this family won the case at the European Court, which found Russia guilty of inability to ensure its obligations to defend lives of its citizens in Chechnya, who die from land mines.

During the second conversation with Natalia Estemirova, the topic was on the persons executed at night of July 13 in the Urus-Martan District between Goi-Chu and Alkhazurovo villages.

"It's reported that at an attempt of detention these people rendered armed resistance and were liquidated," she retold the official version of the murder; however, she had no information that those people were militants.

Estemirova mentioned in her interviews that the relatives of the casualties were so much frightened that were not going to address anywhere or submit any applications.

Natalia Estemirova promised to hand over to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent the names of those killed in the Urus-Martan District. However, her assassination prevented her from fulfilling this promise.

Earlier, Natalia used to say in her interviews to the "Caucasian Knot" that the publications of this medium were under steadfast attention of local authorities.