03 September 2009, 20:00
Supreme Court finds cancellation of the acquittal verdict on Politkovskaya's case lawful
Murad Musaev, an advocate of one of the defendants, said that the Supreme Court of Russia has recognized lawful the cancellation of the "not guilty" verdict in the murder case of Anna Politkovskaya, observer of the "Novaya Gazeta".
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 20 the judge of the Moscow Regional Military Court, based on the acquitting verdict passed by jurymen, acquitted Sergey Hadjikurbanov, a former MIA employee, and two Makhmudov brothers - Ibragim and Dzhabrail - on all indictment points. Besides, the court acquitted Pavel Ryaguzov, who figured in the case on another episode. The General Prosecutor's Office appealed against the acquittal verdict at the Supreme Court; then the case was returned to the Moscow Regional Military Court for a new consideration.
"The court has rejected my supervising complaint, in which I asked to recognize the cancellation of the acquittal verdict illegal," the "Gazeta.Ru" quotes the defender.
Today, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has returned the Politkovskaya's case to the Prosecutor's Office. Judges passed the decision in less than 30 minutes. According to the "Echo Moskvy" Radio, for the victim party the speed of considering their complaint was a surprise.
Let us note here that the Supreme Court not only returned the case to the Prosecutor's Office, but also satisfied the petition to unite the case of Makhmudov brothers and Sergey Hadjikurbanov with the main case related to the prospective executor of the murder and its customers. Anna Politkovskaya's relatives were supported not only by defendants' advocates, but also by the state prosecutor.
Prosecutor Vera Pashkovskaya finds the today's decision both fair and reasonable. She has explained that the united case cannot go to court until the supposed executor - Rustam Makhmudov - is detained.
