The brutal murder on 7 October 2006 of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya, known for her critical reporting on the conflict in Chechnya in which she sought to expose human rights abuses, was yet another reminder to Russian journalists that violence awaits those who investigate or criticise.

It is estimated that 21 journalists have been killed since Russian President Vladimir Putin came to power in March 2000. In the great majority of cases, no one has been convicted and sentenced for the murders. WAN thus calls on the Russian authorities to investigate all acts of violence against journalists, to search for persons alleged to have committed, or to have ordered to be committed, a crime against journalists, and to bring such persons to justice.