A person convicted within the 2006 killing of Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya acquired a presidential pardon after he did a stint preventing in Ukraine, his lawyer stated.
Sergei Khadzhikurbanov was sentenced to twenty years in jail in 2014 for his position as an confederate within the killling of Politkovskaya, 48. She labored for the unbiased newspaper Novaya Gazeta and wrote tales crucial of Kremlin insurance policies throughout the early years of President Vladimir Putin’s time period, the warfare in Chechnya and human rights abuses.
She was shot and killed within the elevator of her Moscow house block, triggering outrage at residence and within the West, and emphasizing the hazards confronted by unbiased journalists in Russia. Her demise on Oct. 7, Putin’s birthday, led to recommendations the capturing — through which the Kremlin denied any position — was performed to curry favor with the president.
4 others additionally had been convicted within the killing: gunman Rustam Makhmudov and his uncle, Lom-Ali Gaitukayev, who acquired life in jail, and two of Makhmudov’s brothers, who acquired 12 and 14 years.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, non-public navy contractors and the Protection Ministry have provided prisoners their freedom in change for preventing within the warfare.
Khadzhikurbanov, a former police detective, was launched final 12 months to combat in Ukraine after which signed a Protection Ministry contract to proceed serving after his pardon, his lawyer Alexei Mikhalchik advised The Related Press.
He was provided a command place within the navy as a result of he was within the “particular forces” within the late Nineteen Nineties and was in “virtually all the recent spots,” Mikhalchik stated.
Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, and Politkovskaya’s kids, Vera and Ilya, condemned Khadzhikurbanov’s launch.
“For us, this ‘pardon’ just isn’t proof of atonement and repentance of the killer. This can be a monstrous reality of injustice. … It’s an outrage to the reminiscence of an individual killed for her beliefs {and professional} obligation,” they stated.
Muratov stated the “victims on this case — the kids of Anna Politkovskaya and the editors” — weren’t advised upfront in regards to the pardon. In addition they slammed Russian authorities for utilizing the regulation “in response to its personal perverted understanding,” by giving lengthy jail sentences to political opponents whereas setting murderers free.
Muratov gained the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 however this 12 months was declared by Russian authorities to be a international agent, persevering with the nation’s strikes to suppress critics and unbiased reporting.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated earlier this month that convicts recruited to combat in Ukraine are worthy of pardons.
“These sentenced, even on grave fees, shed their blood on the battlefield to atone for his or her crimes. They redeem themselves by shedding blood in assault brigades, underneath bullet hearth and shelling,” he stated.
Mikhalchik stated he was “glad” his shopper was freed as a result of he by no means believed he was concerned in killing Politkovskaya.
Muratov advised the AP that whereas Khadzhikurbanov “was not the direct perpetrator of the homicide of Anna Politkovskaya,” no investigation has taken place to determine who was behind it.
“The one who ordered it’s free, and the confederate to the crime has been pardoned. This all that may be stated in regards to the safety of freedom of speech in Russia,” he stated.
Muratov famous it was the second latest instance of a prisoner convicted in a killing to win his freedom after serving in Ukraine.
Vera Pekhteleva, 23, was killed in January 2020 by her boyfriend after ending their relationship. The person convicted in her demise, Vladislav Kanyus, was pardoned in April, in response to lawyer and human rights advocate Alena Popova.
Pekhteleva’s household found Kanyus was free when her mom noticed on-line images of him carrying camouflage and holding a weapon, Popova stated on her Telegram channel.
“There is no such thing as a justice. There is no such thing as a regulation. There are not any human rights. Nothing. Simply complete violence,” Popova advised AP in response to the information in regards to the launch of Khadzhikurbanov.
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Observe AP’s protection of the warfare in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine