WRAP Funeral for slain Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, Merkel, Putin comments

Описание: (10 Oct 2006)
AP Television
Moscow, Russia
1. High shot of mourners by the coffin
2. Mid shot of coffin
3. Mid shot of family
4. High shot of wreaths
5. Wide shot of funeral procession
6. Mid shot of mourners
7. Close-up of portrait of Anna Politkovskaya in black frame
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Anthony Brenton, British Ambassador to Russia:
"President Putin himself has said it will be investigated thoroughly. They know the death of journalists of this kind is a sickness in Russia which they need to deal with to turn Russia to the sort of democracy and the society which they and we want to see it become."
9. Wide shot of coffin being carried to the grave
10. Wide shot of burial site
11. Wide shot of priest saying his last words
12. Close-up of hands holding candle, zoom out to mourners holding wreaths
13. Mid shot of people standing by grave, tilt down
14. Wide shot of mourners proceeding to the grave
POOL
Dresden, Germany
15. Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel entering news conference
16. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Vladimir Putin, Russian President
"Whoever did this crime and whatever the motives were, we should state that it was a disgusting crime, abhorent in its cruelty and surely should not be left unpunished. She sharply criticised the existing government of Russia but journalists should know and experts are fully aware that as for the degree of her influence on the political life in Russia, it was very insignificant."
17. Cutaway of media
18. SOUNDBITE: (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:
"We spoke about the fact that I'm very disturbed and bothered about the murder of the journalist Anna Politkovskaya. It is, for us (Merkel and Putin) very normal that freedom of press and democracy belong to each other. The Russian president made clear that everything will be done to investigate the murder and bring those responsible to justice. The freedom for people who write and report shows an important degree of democracy in the country."
19. Putin and Merkel shaking hands
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of Russians, journalists and diplomats filed past an open casket on Tuesday, to pay their respects to slain reporter Anna Politkovskaya.
More than 1,000 mourners filed past her body at a funeral hall on the outskirts of Moscow.
Her forehead was covered with a white ribbon according to Russian Orthodox tradition.
Forty-eight-year-old Politkovskaya, was gunned down in her apartment building on Saturday.
The investigative journalist was a prominent Kremlin critic and the contract-style killing triggered international outrage.
Anthony Brenton, British Ambassador to Russia, told AP Television at the funeral that the Kremlin was well aware that the murder of Anna Politkovskaya was not an isolated incident.
"They know the death of journalists of this kind is a sickness of Russia which they need to deal with to turn Russia to the sort of democracy and the society which they and we want to see to become," Brenton said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday denounced the killing as a "disgustingly cruel" crime that cannot go unpunished.
He made the comments at a news conference after meeting Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor for talks in Dresden, Germany.
Merkel said: "The Russian president made clear that everything will be done to investigate the murder and bring those responsible to justice."
Politkovskaya's death threw a new spotlight on the risks faced by journalists who criticise Russian authorities and dig deep to expose abuses.
Politkovskaya's funeral was held at Troyekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow.

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