UNHCR dismayed at murder of humanitarian worker

GENEVA - The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) wishes to express its shock and deep sorrow at the murder on 15 July of Ms. Natalia Estemirova, a staff member of UNHCR's implementing partner, Memorial, in the Russian Federation. Ms. Estemirova was found dead in the North Caucasus region of Ingushetia following her abduction from her home in Grozny.

UNHCR extends its condolences to Memorial and Ms. Estemirova's family.

Since 2000, Ms. Estemirova had been a social worker with the NGO Memorial and its UNHCR-funded legal and social counselling project in Grozny. She worked on issues related to internally displaced people in Chechnya and their safe return to their homes. Memorial has been an implementing partner of UNHCR in the North Caucasus since 2000 and received UNHCR's Nansen Refugee Award in 2004.