19:00, 19 January 2009

Khatazhukov: Markelov's murder is political

Valery Khatazhukov, head of the Kabardino-Balkarian Public Human Rights Centre, believes that the murder of Stanislav Markelov, advocate of the Kungaev family, is an attempt to intimidate human rights activists. This is a political murder, he is convinced.

Mr Khatazhukov is convinced that Markelov's murder is connected with his professional activities - both in Budanov's case and in other cases on xenophobia-motivated crimes. "This murder should be put in row with Anna Politkovskaya's murder," Valery Khatazhukov has stated.

"I knew Stanislav Markelov very well. He was an advocate of high, very high qualification; he supported many cases at the Strasbourg Court on violations of human rights in Chechnya," he has added when making comments on Markelov's murder.

Currently, militia is in search of Markelov's killer. He was shot by street video cameras, and the investigation already possesses the image of the man.

Author: Luiza Orazaeva

Source: CK correspondent