Press Release
Third Anniversary Statement from The Klebnikov Family
July 9, 2007
Three years ago today, July 9th, Paul Klebnikov was murdered on a Moscow street, near the offices of Forbes Russia, where he was the founding editor of the Russian language edition of Forbes magazine. He loved Russia and was confident that a better day was finally dawning for a long-suffering country. Three years later, his killers remain at large. Paul's death devastated our family, and we are profoundly disappointed at the failure of the Russian criminal justice system to bring Paul's assailants — and those who ordered his murder — to justice.
We appreciate and respect the Russian Federation Office of the Procurator for its efforts to bring Paul's killers to trial, and its unflagging response to right the wrong that occurred in the Moscow City Courts.
We know that many Russians are deeply troubled by Paul's murder. They are dismayed by the death of the many other journalists who have been killed or injured while performing a professional duty to inform the public. They wonder why their assailants have gone unpunished ...
We note that President Putin and the Russian Federation government have repeatedly expressed concern over the outcome of the investigation and trial of the accused. We appreciate this support and ask them to be committed to a successful resolution of this case. We again urge the Russian Federation government officially to invite concerned governments, such as the United States, to assist in the investigation of this crime. Crime, these days, knows no borders.
Even in tragedy, hope can arise. We are encouraged by positive developments that have emerged out of the miscarriage of justice in Paul's case. In the spirit of US-Russia cooperation, the Office of the Procurator of the Russian Federation, the US State Department and US Department of Justice initiated a pilot training program to bring Russian prosecutors to the US to work alongside their American counterparts. This program is designed to promote dialogue between Russian prosecutors and their US counterparts about best practices in criminal investigations and prosecutions.
We are also profoundly moved by the determination of concerned Russian citizens to reform the jury trial system. Ordinary Russians who have served on jury trials are now advocating for the adoption of a code of juror' rights, and want to participate in the process of improving the jury trial system in Russia. It is the determination, action and, of course, the consent of the governed — the ordinary citizens — that forms the backbone of society and of strong government.
It is our hope that all these efforts will have a positive and permanent influence on the Russian criminal justice system, and that this will be the last sad anniversary that Paul's case remains unresolved.
We hope to witness the day when the expectations Paul had and the values which he publicly and bravely stood up for, will become the model for future generations of dedicated Russian journalists.
