ITALY’S BAD EXAMPLE Stanislav Markelov: The death of a Roma rights defender N MEMORIAM: The European Roma who as the director of the Rule of Law Institute, Rights Centre (ERRC) is saddened and had been bringing cases against the Russian troubled by the assassination of a promi- military, Chechen warlords and murderous neo- nent Russian lawyer on 19 January 2009; fascists, clearly had many potential enemies a lawyer who built his career on using the both within government and without. Russian Ilegal system to defend human rights and social government officials have been implicated in justice. Stanislav Markelov was a former ERRC other political assassinations, most notably that associate, a young and brilliant human rights of Aleksandr Litvinenko. activist. He was killed together with Anastasia Baburova, a young journalist working as a free- The ERRC is honoured by its association lancer for Novaya with Mr Markelov. Gazeta, a publication In 2006-2007, he highly critical of the worked with the Russian government. ERRC on two Roma The two had just left rights cases in Rus- a news conference sia regarding forced where Mr Markelov evictions and fair announced that he trial. In both cases, would continue to Mr Markelov worked fight against the early hard to keep his cli- release from jail of ents engaged, urging Mr Yuri Budanov, a them to continue former Russian tank their fight despite the commander impris- frustrations of a jus- oned for murdering a tice system that was young Chechen woman. Mr Markelov and Ms not disposed to provide justice. Baburova were killed in broad daylight. Mr Markelov`s death at the age of 34 has caused The murder of Mr Markelov apparently bore deep sorrow and anguish in the human rights com- the characteristics of a contract killing. Such as- munity. The ERRC offers its condolences to his sassinations are unfortunately not uncommon in family, friends, colleagues and the human rights Russia. The perpetrators of Mr Markelov’s kill- abuse victims he represented. Most of all, his ing have not been found, nor has any link to the death is a great loss for Russia, where human state been established. However, Mr Markelov, rights abuses and xenophobia are on the rise. roma rights journal ¯ number 2, 2008 51.