Boris Nemtsov, a great democrat and a courageous fighter for freedom is murdered

Russia. There are heroes...The bridge is broken. Build bridges.

Toomas Hendrik Ilves (president of Estonia): "I am shocked by the news that last night in front of the Kremlin opposition leader Boris Nemtsov former the Deputy Prime Minister of President Yeltsin, was callously murdered.

I personally knew Boris for a long time, he often visited Estonia and was a great admirer of Estonia’s reforms, especially of those related to the rule of law, whose implementation he considered to be the most important prerequisite for creation of democracy in Russia. Most recently we met in Sweden in last October, were we discussed the war in Ukraine and its larger implications. He was about to publish a study on the realities of the war in Ukraine.

I mourn a great friend of Estonia and of mine, a great democrat and a courageous fighter for freedom. My deepest condolences go to his family and to everyone who supported and shared Boris Nemtsov's aspirations for democracy."



The Guardian: "Russia robbed of a brave, authentic and distinctive voice"
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/28/russia-robbed-of-a-brave-authentic-and-distinctive-voice
"Boris Nemtsov "spoke out strongly and vehemently against government corruption. Nemtsov opposed Putin’s annexation of Crimea and his covert war in eastern Ukraine. --- Nemtsov had spoken out against massive corruption in Sochi, as contractors built venues and palaces for the 2014 Winter Olympics."



BBC: "Russia opposition politician Boris Nemtsov shot dead"
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31669061
"Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko described Mr Nemtsov as a "bridge between Ukraine and Russia" --- In a recent interview, Mr Nemtsov had said he feared Mr Putin would have him killed because of his opposition to the war in Ukraine. "



Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: "Russia's milestones are gravestones":
http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-killings-timeline-deaths-politics/26874764.html
"Tsvetkov, Yushenkov, Shchekochikhin, Girenko, Klebnikov, Politkovskaya, Litvinenko, Markelov, Barburova, Estemirova, Magnitsky...and more."








- De som motsätter sig makten i Ryssland blir inte långlivade. Demokratiska värderingar står inte högt i kurs. Oppositionen har alltid levt farligt. Ändå är det chockerande att Boris Nemtsov mördats och ett dåligt tecken för den fortsatta utvecklingen i landet. Osökt går tankarna till Anna Politkovskaja, Alexander Litvinenko och många fler. Och hur ska det gå med den fängslade ukrainska piloten Nadia Savchenko som hungerstrejkar sedan december? Hennes tillstånd är mycket allvarligt.



Garry Kasparov: "Devastated to hear of the cold-blooded murder of my long-time opposition colleague Boris Nemtsov in central Moscow, quite close to the Kremlin. Shot four times, once for each child he leaves behind. A man of Boris's quality no longer fit Putin's Russia." 



You can kill the messenger, but not the message.




Foto: KL