23 Facts About Irina Khakamada

In 2002, Irina Khakamada served as a rapporteur from Russia at the 57th session of the UN General Assembly.

Irina Khakamada was born to a Japanese father, Mutsuo Hakamada, a Japanese communist who defected to the Soviet Union in 1939.

Irina Khakamada's mother, Nina Sinelnikova, with Russian, Lezgian and Armenian roots, was an English schoolteacher who lost her father to the Stalinist purges and her mother to suicide following the family's forced relocation to Khabarovsk.

Irina Khakamada graduated from the Department of Economy of the Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University in Moscow in 1978.

Irina Khakamada obtained her PhD degree from the Faculty of Economics of Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Irina Khakamada was a member of the CPSU from 1984 to 1989.

Irina Khakamada was an elected Duma representative from 1993 to 2003.

Irina Khakamada is regarded as a democratic politician who is in a moderate opposition to the Russian government.

Irina Khakamada is known for criticizing the governmental actions during Moscow theater hostage crisis where she was involved as one of the negotiators.

Irina Khakamada stated that the hostage takers were not going to use their bombs to kill the people and destroy the building.

Irina Khakamada was a member of the coordinating council of the Union of Right Forces.

Irina Khakamada opted to abstain from the council's vote on their endorsement in the 2000 presidential election, in which the party ultimately voted to support Vladimir Putin's campaign over that of council member Konstantin Titov.

Irina Khakamada was one of the leaders of the Union of Rightist Forces when she decided to run in the 2004 Russian presidential election.

Irina Khakamada was not supported by her party, which had decided that they would not nominate a candidate.

Irina Khakamada kicked off her campaign by delivering a speech which placed the blame for the Moscow theater hostage crisis at Putin's feet.

Irina Khakamada entered the election with better name recognition than most of the other candidates challenging Putin.

Irina Khakamada was only the second woman to be a registered candidate in a Russian presidential election, after only Ella Pamfilova in 2000.

Irina Khakamada claimed her motivation for running was her desire to see a liberal opposition candidate.

Irina Khakamada's campaign received funding from Boris Nevzlin, a former Yukos chief who was being targeted for international investigation by Russian authorities and was residing in Israel during the campaign.

Irina Khakamada was outspoken about unfair conditions of the election, particularly about its media coverage.

Irina Khakamada published the book "Gender in big-time politics" describing her personal experience of work in Kremlin.

Former FSS officer Alexander Litvinenko said he had learned from Anna Politkovskaya that Putin asked Irina Khakamada to pass a threat to Politkovskaya.

Irina Khakamada has appeared in several films and television series as an actress, including Brief Guide To A Happy Life in 2012.