15 September 2009, 22:00
Preliminary investigation on Estemirova's murder case extended
The preliminary investigation on the murder case of human rights defender Natalia Estemirova has been prolonged. According to the official version, there was no enough time to conduct all the pre-planned investigatory-operative actions, since "quite many problems have appeared."
The previous expiry term of the preliminary investigation was today, September 15.
However, as reported by Igor Sobol, head of the investigatory group of the Chief Investigatory Department for the SFD (South Federal District) of the ICPO, who is in charge of the inquiry of Estemirova's murder, the term has been extended by two more months, as reported by Radio Liberty.
"We couldn't complete the whole complex of the investigatory and pre-planned operative-search actions, namely: interrogations, examinations and assignments. We'll extend it as many times as we need; there's no limit, up to the time limitation," said the inspector.
In his turn, advocate of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" Magomed Abubakarov, a former Estemirova's colleague, is afraid that the investigation will last for long, and, eventually, will be stopped.
