Anna Politkovskaya

Anna Politkovskaya (1958 - 2006) was a journalist, human rights activist, and special correspondent for Novaya gazeta, a newspaper known for its outspoken stance against Russian politics. She was honored by Amnesty International andIndex on Censorship. In 2000 she received Russia's prestigious Golden Pen Award for her coverage of the war in Chechnya, and in 2005 she was awarded the Civil Courage Prize. Known for her fierce criticism of the Kremlin, on October 7, 2006, Politkovskaya was shot and found dead in an elevator in her apartment building in Moscow. Her assassination, believed to be a contract killing, was met with international outrage and support. After a decade of investigations, five men were sentenced to prison for her murder.

Politkovskaya's books include Putin's Russia: Life in a Failing Democracy.