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Anna Politkovskaya was given the OSCE Prize for Journalism and Democracy by the OSCE Parliamentary A

by Open-Publishing - Tuesday 10 October 2006

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Expressing his shock about the recent murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, OSCE PA President Göran Lennmarker stated that "The OSCE PA honoured Ms. Politkovskaya for her bravery in reporting events in face of all odds. It is a tragedy that this bravery and strength have now been silenced".

In February 2003, Anna Politkovskaya was given the OSCE Prize for Journalism and Democracy by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. A distinguished journalist with the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, Ms. Politkovskaya gained international recognition for her extensive and balanced reporting in Chechnya.

"I’m a journalist," said Politkovskaya, accepting the Prize three years ago. "I’m neither a politician nor a diplomat. And so I’m not polite - I say what I think. And what I think about is what I see with my own eyes. My job is simple: to look around and to write what I see." Addressing the OSCE PA at the time, Anna Politkovskaya spoke about her personal experiences as a reporter in Chechnya, and drew attention to human rights abuses in the region.

On behalf of the Parliamentary Assembly, Secretary General Spencer Oliver attended the funeral held for Ms. Politkovskaya in Moscow on 10 October. He noted that the memorial service had been a "moving ceremony and testimony to her courageous life."

President Lennmarker called for a full and open investigation into the killing. "I utterly condemn the brutal murder of Anna Politkovskaya. As one of Russia’s most distinguished investigative journalists, she was a strong force for democracy. Her loss is felt deeply by the Parliamentary Assembly, which was honoured by her presence just a few years ago," said Lennmarker.

In presenting the Prize in 2003, Freimut Duve, then OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, noted that the Prize was started "not only as a symbol, but as an alarm clock for freedom of the media, which is one of the fundamental principles of a democracy." Politkovskaya was the eighth recipient of the OSCE Prize for Journalism and Democracy, first awarded in 1996.

Last updated on 10 October 2006