MOSCOW, October 15 (RIA Novosti) - The prosecutor has asked a court to remand suspects in the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in custody, a Politkovskaya family lawyer said Wednesday.

Politkovskaya, who gained international recognition for her criticism of the Kremlin and reports of military atrocities against civilians in the troubled Caucasus republic of Chechnya, was gunned down in an elevator in her Moscow apartment building in October 2006.

According to data from the international organization Reporters Without Borders, between 2000 and 2007, a total of 21 journalists were murdered in Russia, which remains one of the world's most dangerous countries for reporters.

A criminal case on the killing was passed to the court earlier this month. Three men have been charged with involvement in the murder, but the man suspected of pulling the trigger remains at large, and it is still unknown who was behind the killing.

Murad Musayev, a lawyer for one of the accused, said the court hearings would most likely be closed, as there are classified documents involved in the case.