Iron Curtain Parted For High-Profile Murder Trial
Filed Under Kitchen Curtain | Posted on November 19, 2008
A Russian court has decided not to ban reporters from the trial of three men accused in the killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya - paving the way for an open trial where details of the much-criticised investigation will be made public.
Politkovskaya, who was slain in her Moscow apartment building in 2006, reported on human rights abuses in Chechnya, embarrassing the Kremlin. Her killing sparked international outrage and demands for an independent investigation.
The man accused of shooting Politkovskaya, Rustam Makhmudov, has fled the country, prosecutors say. His mother, Zapla Makhmudova, said outside the courtroom she didn’t know where her son was and refused to comment when asked about the last time she spoke with him.
The defence also said that the investigation had been deliberately undermined, but expressed surprise at Judge Yevgeny Zubov’s decision to allow the open trial that it and Politkovksaya’s family had requested.
Prosecutors had requested a closed trial because they say some of the potential evidence is classified.
Tags: anna politkovskaya, apartment building, chechnya, courtroom, criticised, human rights abuses, independent investigation, international outrage, iron curtain, journalist, kremlin, last time, moscow apartment, murder trial, paving the way, prosecutors, russian court, three men, yevgeny, zubovRelated posts
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