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Chechnya's Missing Women

Human rights activist Natasha Estemirova campaigned against the kidnap of women in Chechnya. On Wednesday she was herself kidnapped and killed. Lucy Ash reports from the Chechen capital Grozny.

After years of bitter civil war Chechnya and its devastated capital Grozny are being rebuilt.

The leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, says his republic is now just a normal part of the Russian Federation.

But the kidnap and brutal killing on Wednesday of award winning human rights activist Natasha Estemirova demonstrates the violence and deep unease which still permeates Chechen society.

Lucy Ash has been to Grozny to report on the growing number of women snatched from the streets of the Chechen capital.

Some are taken as brides, some have simply vanished without trace, others like Estemirova have later been found shot dead.

The programme includes one of the last recorded interviews with Natasha Estemirova.

Available now

25 minutes

Last on

Sun 19 Jul 2009 09:05GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 16 Jul 2009 08:05GMT
  • Thu 16 Jul 2009 12:05GMT
  • Thu 16 Jul 2009 19:05GMT
  • Fri 17 Jul 2009 00:05GMT
  • Sun 19 Jul 2009 09:05GMT

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