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Investigation against five defendants in criminal case of Anna Politkovskaya murder completed

The Main Investigation Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has completed the investigation of the criminal case against the five accused of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya - Lom-Ali Gaytukayev, his nephews – Rustam, Ibraghim and Dzhabrail Makhmudov brothers and Sergey Khadzhikurbanov. They are accused of crimes under Paragraphs "b”,” g”, “h" of Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code (murder), Part 3 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code (trafficking in weapons).

According to investigators, Gaytukayev was an organizer of the crime. In 2006 he formed an organized criminal group consisting of other accused and a policeman Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov. Gaytukayev led the group until his arrest for organizing the attempted murder of the Ukrainian businessman Gennady Korban, for which he was convicted and is serving his sentence. Later Gaytukaev controlled the actions of members of the group over the phone while in prison. In Moscow, the organization of the crime was carried out by Sergei Khadzhikurbanov. Group members of the group were carefully planning the murder of the journalist, purchasing guns and reconcilng their actions with each other. Sergey Khadzhikurbanov controlled all actions of the group. October 2006 having received the information on the victim’s living place from Pavlyuchenkov, the Makhmudovs waited for the victim on her way home. Seeing the victim driving her car, Ibragim Makhmudov informed his brother Dzhabrail about it and he in his turn told it to Rustam, who entered the house where Politkovskaya lived and was waiting for her to come in. When the journalist entered the elevator, Rustam Makhmudov shot her several times. The pistol he was using was left at the murder scene. After that the accused disappeared.

Investigators collected sufficient evidence, in connection with which a criminal case has been sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation for the confirmation of the indictment and subsequent transfer to the court for consideration on the merits.

The criminal case against Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, who concluded a pre-trial cooperation agreement, has been separated from the investigation into the murder of Anna Politkovskaya. The court sentenced Pavlyuchenkov to 11 years imprisonment in a penal colony.

The investigation of the criminal case against the crime customer and other unidentified persons is ongoing.