Russia to let media attend journalist's death trial

Defendants (from left) Pavel Ryguzov, Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, and brothers Ibragim and Dhzabrail Makhmudov sat in a Moscow courtroom. (Sergey Ponomarev/Associated Press)

MOSCOW - A Russian court decided yesterday 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-criticized investigation will be made public.

Politkovskaya, who was slain in her Moscow apartment building in 2006, reported on human rights abuses in Chechnya, often embarrassing the Kremlin. Her slaying sparked international outrage, and Western governments demanded an independent investigation.

Her son, Ilya, said he was pleased the trial would be open. "Of course we are happy. We are even very surprised," he said.

In court, lawyers for Politkovskaya's family were scathing in their criticism of the official investigation, which they said was sabotaged to allow the suspected triggerman and the as-yet-unidentified mastermind to escape justice.

"Our aim is for the investigation to identify the mastermind, the financier, and all the other accomplices in the murder," Karinna Moskalenko, who is representing Ilya and his sister, Vera, said after yesterday's preliminary hearing. "Until then, we do not consider the investigation over."

The man accused of shooting Politkovskaya, Rustam Makhmudov, has fled the country, prosecutors say. His mother, Zapla Makhmudova, said outside the courtroom yesterday she didn't know where her son was and refused to comment when asked when the last time she spoke with him was.

The suspects being tried on murder charges are Sergei Khadzhikurbanov - a former Moscow police officer - and Makhmudov's brothers, Ibragim and Dzhabrail.

They are accused of providing logistical support for the killing. All three insisted to reporters yesterday that they were not guilty.

Yesterday the three defendants looked calm. They spoke only to confirm their identities and to issue one-word answers to procedural questions from the Politkovskaya's slaying deepened Western concerns about Russia's course and underscored the risks run by independent Russian journalists. She was one of at least 13 journalists killed in contract-style slayings during Vladimir Putin's presidency. Few suspects have been prosecuted.