"We remember Nemtsov as a champion of freedom. The international community should hold the Russian government accountable for his murder until it demonstrates a serious intent to prosecute the perpetrators."
This statement was originally published on freedomhouse.org on 26 February 2016.
On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the murder of Boris Nemtsov, a prominent Russian opposition leader, Freedom House issued the following statement:
“Russia’s government has yet to bring to justice those who planned or carried out the murder of Boris Nemtsov, who was killed within sight of the Kremlin,” said Robert Herman, vice-president for international programs. “We remember Nemtsov as a champion of freedom. The international community should hold the Russian government accountable for his murder until it demonstrates a serious intent to prosecute the perpetrators.”
Background:
Nemtsov was murdered February 27, 2015, on the eve of an opposition march he was expected to lead to call on Vladimir Putin’s government to address political and socio-economic reforms. After refusing to classify the case as a crime against a state or civic leader, authorities arrested five suspects for involvement in the murder and, in January 2016, declared the investigation closed.
Russia is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2016, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2015, Not Free in Freedom on the Net 2015, and receives a democracy score of 6.46, on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 as the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2015.
