Russia's human rights activist A researcher for the highly respected human rights organisation Memorial, Natalya Estemirova contributed to a Human Rights Watch report that accused Chechen government of burning more than two dozen homes in punitive attacks against the families of suspected rebels. Her determined efforts over the past decade to uncover killings, torture, disappearances and kidnappings in Chechnya made her powerful enemies. Chechnya's most outspoken activist Natalya Estemirova was murdered just hours after being kidnapped from outside her home in Grozny.