The Litvinenko Inquiry

The Litvinenko Inquiry
against every kind of unfair criticism – or indeed any criticism that they deem to be
unfair.” 4
The perceived threat
5.9 There is no doubt that Mr Litvinenko and the circle around him perceived the 2006
laws as representing a threat to their safety. On 11 July 2006 (three days after the
second law had been passed by the Duma), The Times published a letter written
by Vladimir Bukovsky and Oleg Gordievsky. It was short and to the point. It read as
follows:
“Sir, As the seven leaders of the world’s most industrially developed democracies
are packing their suitcases in order to go to St Petersburg for the G8 meeting,
their would-be host, Former KGB Lieutenant–Colonel Vladimir Putin, has rushed
through the state Duma two new pieces of legislation.
First, a new law enabling him to use his secret services as ‘death squads’ to
eliminate ‘extremists’ anywhere abroad (including in this country).
Second, an amendment to existing law on fighting ‘extremism’, providing a much
broader definition of that ‘crime’ which, among other things, will include now any
‘libellous’ statements about his Administration.
Thus, the stage is set for any critic of Putin’s regime here, especially those
campaigning against Russian genocide in Chechnya, to have an appointment
with a poison-tipped umbrella. According to the statement by the Russian Defence
Minister Sergei Ivanov, the black list of potential targets is already compiled.
In keeping with the best traditions of the Soviet-era foreign policy, which always
strived to make the world an unwitting accomplice of their crimes, this masterpiece
is delivered precisely to coincide with the G8 meeting, which will serve to provide
a semblance of approval, or at least of acceptance, by the world of this new
development in the ‘common fight with terrorism’.
Needless to say, this is an extremely dangerous development. Unless the Western
leaders are prepared to share responsibility for murders, like the one committed
in Qatar by Russian agents, they must cancel their meeting, or, at the very least,
should protest loudly against such abuse of the G8 chairmanship.” 5
5.10 In an interview conducted by the Metropolitan Police Service in March 2007, Boris
Berezovsky explained the extent of the concerns that Mr Litvinenko himself had had
regarding the new legislation. He said:
“And of course he was always worried of the security especially after, in July 2006,
Putin signed a law which allowed Russian special services without any investigation
or court hearing, to kill people who Russian authorities considered to be enemies of
then Russian state. Sasha mentioned loads of times that this legislation of course
was designed in the first place to get rid of us – him, Zakayev and myself. Moreover,
he said that most probably they would try to poison us. Today this sounds amazing
but unfortunately this proved to be true, true prediction.” 6
4
INQ019146 (page 22 paragraph 67)
5
INQ019194
6
Berezovsky 25/26 lines 9-20
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