Memorial events were held in various Russian cities on Tuesday to honor the eight-year anniversary of the murder of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
Members of human rights organization Amnesty International held a memorial service in front of the Novaya Gazeta building in Moscow, where a plaque was set up in Politkovskaya's honor last year. Throughout the day, visitors brought bouquets of flowers crafted from newspapers of publications taking part in the "Week of Action," an event in support of independent voices held to coincide with the anniversary of Politkovskaya's death.
Politkovskaya, who was shot dead at age 48 in her Moscow apartment building in 2006, was well-known for her work exposing human rights abuses in Chechnya, and her generally opposition-oriented reporting.
On Tuesday, events in her honor were held across Russia, including a picket in St. Petersburg supporting independent civil society, Radio Liberty reported.
In May, a jury found five men guilty of carrying out her murder, including three men who had previously been acquitted. However, the mystery of who ordered the contract-style killing remains unsolved.
Lawyers, rights activists and Politkovskaya's relatives have repeatedly said that justice will not be served until the culprit is found.
On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department issued a statement urging Russian authorities to do more to find out who was behind the killing.
"The conviction in June of five people involved in the crime was a welcome step, but we continue to be concerned that the mastermind of her killing still has not been brought to justice. We urge Russian authorities to build on this year's convictions and identify and prosecute the person who ordered this terrible crime," the statement said.
Amnesty International echoed the U.S. State Department in its own statement, expressing concerns that the lack of motivation to find Politkovskaya's true killer signified an era of repression in the country.
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