Customers of Politkovskaya's murder go unpunished for 16 years

For 16 years the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, the customers of the crime have not been named, human rights defenders have stated on the anniversary of her murder.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that October 7, 2021, marked 15 years since the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, a columnist of the "Novaya Gazeta". According to Russian law, the "statute of limitations" for the crime expired in 2021; and only the court could extend it, otherwise the customers of the murder would go unpunished, the "Novaya Gazeta" then stated. Politkovskaya's murder is being investigated under an article that provides for capital punishment, and the 15-year statute of limitations is rarely used in such cases, lawyers have noted.

"In 2014, two figurants in the Politkovskaya's murder case – Rustam Makhmudov and Lom-Ali Gaitukaev – were sentenced to life imprisonment. The former was announced the executor, the latter – the organizer. Three other figurants were announced to be mediators; they were sentenced to 20, 14 and 12 years in prison accordingly. Also, Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov from the Moscow Chief Branch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) was convicted within the murder case: his employees were shadowing Anna during their working hours. However, he made a deal with the investigation, and his case was considered in a special order. Pavlyuchenkov was sentenced to 11 years in prison," the Telegram channel of the "Memorial" Centre for Defence Human Rights has reported.

Let us remind you that Anna Politkovskaya gave her last interview to the "Caucasian Knot" an hour and a half before her murder; in that interview she commented on career prospects of Ramzan Kadyrov.