COVID-19 epidemic amends memory events of Markelov and Baburova

A commemoration of the lawyer, Stanislav Markelov, and the journalist, Anastasia Baburova, was held in Moscow. Authorities refused to sanction a traditional march; and those wishing to honour the memory of Markelov and Baburova laid flowers at the venue of their murder in Prechistenka Street.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Stanislav Markelov was killed on January 19, 2009, in Moscow after a press conference on the release from prison of former Colonel Yuri Budanov, who had served his prison term on charges of murdering a Chechen girl, Elza Kungaeva. Anastasia Baburova, a journalist with the "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper, was also killed in the attack on Markelov.

On January 19, the participants of the memory action laid flowers at the venue of the murder. The march, which was held in memory of Markelov and Baburova in previous years, was not sanctioned this year due to the coronavirus epidemic.

"Every year, we managed to sanction the action and the march. This year, the action was not sanctioned for the first time. Yes, they had prohibited quite a lot of things, but this action was always sanctioned. Nevertheless, we are here. The murder of Markelov and Baburova was a flagrant political murder," Elena Sannikova, a rights defender, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 20, 2021 at 05:11 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.