- Sputnik International
Russia
The latest news and stories from Russia. Stay tuned for updates and breaking news on defense, politics, economy and more.

Politkovskaya murder trial delayed until December 1

Subscribe
MOSCOW, November 20 (RIA Novosti) - A Moscow military court announced on Thursday a break until December 1 in the trial of suspects in the murder of Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

The delay is due to defense attorneys being engaged in another trial, the press secretary of the Moscow Military District Court, Alexander Minchanovsky, told RIA Novosti.

The trial, which began on Wednesday, is being held in a closed court due to the jury's refusal to appear in the courtroom in the presence of journalists.

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, in what police described as a contract killing.

Three men, a former police officer and two brothers from Chechnya, have been charged with involvement in the murder. Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, and Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov have been in custody since last August. Investigators have provided no details as to their alleged roles in the crime.

The man suspected of pulling the trigger, Rustam Makhmudov - the eldest of the three Makhmudov brothers - remains at large. A separate case has been launched against him. It is still unknown who was behind the killing.

A former Federal Security Service (FSB) officer, Colonel Pavel Ryaguzov, has also been charged with abuse of office after allegedly telling the killers where Politkovskaya lived.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала