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Viktor Alekseyevich Popkov Виктор Алексеевич Попков (June 17, 1946 - June 2, 2001) was a Russian christian, dissident, humanitarian, human rights activist and journalist. He spent the last 15 years of his life in the hot spots of the falling Soviet Union, including the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, the Nagorno-Karabakh War and the war in Chechnya.〔 A deeply religious Old Believer and pacifist, Popkov taught non-violence. ==Life and activism== Popkov studied physics at a Moscow institute, left without graduating and became a journalist and a seismologist in Kamchatka.〔 In 1979 he married Tatyana Lebedeva. In 1992 Popkov founded and since then led the interdenominational group Omega set up to promote dialogue between religious denominations.〔(Obituary: Viktor Popkov ), ''The Independent'', Jun 21, 2001〕 He also joined the Memorial Human Rights Center, a leading Russian human rights group, and worked as a freelance journalist for the oppositionist newspaper ''Novaya Gazeta''. In 1992-1993 Popkov led a futile peace march in Abkhazia, delivered food to the starving town of Tkvarcheli, besieged by the Georgian forces, and saved many people from summary execution after the fall of Sukhum.〔(The lost Chegem ), Memorial, September 27, 1993〕 Working in Chechnya since 1995, Popkov negotiated release of dozens of civilian hostages and prisoners of war (including even a Russian general〔), delivered humanitarian aid to refugees, and documented atrocities. Frequent visitor to Grozny during the fighting,〔(For Russia's Troops, Humbling Days ), ''The New York Times'', January 8, 1995〕 helped to release some of the Russian POWs held in the Presidential Palace in Grozny just before the Russian bombing in 1995〔 and filmed the aftermath of the Novye Aldi massacre in 2000.〔("Rebyata (Guys!)! Don't kill me - I have small children!" )〕 In 1999 he conducted a 40-day hunger strike in protest at the renewed war in Chechnya.〔 Afterwards, he became involved in attempts to restore contacts between Chechen Republic President Aslan Maskhadov and the Russian federal authorities.〔(Power of Goodnss Project - Vigil for Peace )〕 During the Second Chechen War, Popkov often was arbitrarily detained by the security forces and his humanitarian activities were severely hindered by the Russian military.〔(He Died for His Ideals ), ''The St. Petersburg Times'', June 22, 2001〕〔〔(The Silencing of Human Rights Defenders in Chechnya and Ingushetia ), International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, 15 September 2004〕 He was also frequently detained and threatened by some of the Chechen field commanders.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Viktor Popkov」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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