20:00, 5 November 2009

Suspects of murdering Markelov and Baburova arrested

Moscow, Novopushkinskiy Mini-Park, July 16, 2009. Rally in memory of assassinated human rights advocate Natalia Estemirova. Inscription on the placard says "They were killed for truth" (Markelov is the third on the picture). Photo by the "Caucasian Knot"

The Basmanny Court of Moscow has sanctioned arrest of Nikita Tikhonov and Evgeniya Khasis, accused of murdering lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova. The term of investigation on the case was prolonged till January 18.

According to the inspectors, Khasis and Tikhonov killed advocate Markelov for his defending at trials of the interests of anti-fascists and victims of nationalists. Directly before the murder the girl was shadowing Markelov and Baburova, informing her criminal partner about their travel. The young man caught up with them and shot them dead from his pistol; then, he got into the metro and disappeared.

The "Gazeta.Ru" reports that today Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB, told President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev that the murders of advocate Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova have been solved.

The ITAR-TASS adds that Nikita Tikhonov and Evgeniya Khasis were detained on November 3, and on the following day - November 4 - charges were presented to them. Ms Khasis works as a manager at the LLC "Bukhuchyot i Torgovlya" (Accounting and Trade), and Mr Tikhonov is jobless.