Russia asks Estonia to expedite murder enquiry

Russia is calling for Estonia to speed up the investigation into the murder of a Russian citizen killed during the mass protests in Tallinn last year. Dmitry Ganin was one of those opposing the removal of the city's Soviet War memorial.

Two days of fierce riots at the end of April last year ended with hundreds detained and dozens injured. Those involved in the street protests were mostly young people.

One of them, 20-year-old Dmitry Ganin, was beaten and allegedly stabbed in the chest.

An investigation was launched and is still ongoing.

Thirteen people were detained in connection with Ganin's death, but by July 2007 all had been released.

Now Russia says there is no information whatsoever on the progress of the investigation, despite constant demands.

According to Mikhail Kamynin of Russian Foreign Ministry, even the victim's lawyer has no information on the case’s progress.

“The lawyer who represents the interests of Dmitry Ganin's mother has applied to the Estonian Prosecutor’s Office several times to get the documents of the investigation but has always been refused and told that the investigation is confidential,” said Kamynin.