Moscow, May 5, 2006
Official Statement of the Klebnikov Family on the Court Decision in the Trial of the Accused in the Official Investigation of Paul Klebnikov’s Murder:
We must respect the jury’s decision to render a not guilty verdict. The court and the jury made their decision based on the evidence presented in the case. Despite the outcome, we believe due process was followed in this case and we accept the decision of the jurors. A trial by a jury of peers is still relatively new to Russian judicial practice, and respect for the due process of law is only gradually developing in Russia.
We commend the Russian government for the significant attention it has dedicated to the case. Now that this trial has been concluded, we urge the Russian Government to continue its investigation with renewed vigor. Two years has passed since Paul’s murder and the most important work lies ahead. We will not be satisfied until justice is served and the individual or individuals who ordered Paul’s killing and carried out the crime are found and brought to trial. We urge the Russian Government to accept offers of assistance with the investigation from the United States and other concerned governments.
This has been a very difficult and trying time for Paul’s family. We would like to stress that our decision to be involved with this trial was to ensure impartiality and transparency in a case that was closed to the public. We will remain involved until justice is done and all those responsible for this brutal murder are prosecuted and convicted.
We appreciate all the support from friends, Paul’s colleagues throughout the field of journalism, and people everywhere who are horrified by this crime and what it represents. For those who wish to help us keep alive Paul’s mission and legacy in Russia, we have established the Paul Klebnikov Fund, which everyone in the family is engaged in.
Here in the United States and everywhere in the free world, freedom of expression is one of our most prized rights. Our right to speak and to know goes hand-hand. The role of journalists is therefore crucial and all governments should unequivocally support the functioning and the safety of a free press.
We wish to thank our attorneys, Larissa Maslennikova and Alexei Gorbachev, and Sven Krogius and Pavel Boulatov of White and Case, as well as The PBN Company in Moscow and Washington, DC for their assistance, and to those members of the Russian Government who have been helpful in this case. We also would like to thank Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, U.S. Ambassadors to Russia Alexander Vershbow and William Burns and the many other fine members of the US Department of State, and the Department of Justice for their ongoing support.
Media contacts:
The PBN Company (495) 775-00-77
Alexei Brevnov Tatiana Nikulshina
cell: (8 926) 521-0493 cell: (495) 774-4659
Alexei.Brevnov@pbnco.com TNikulshina@bbdo.ru
Sincerely,
The PBN Company
