A RUSSIAN politician ordered the assassination of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, defence lawyers claimed yesterday. Three men are on trial accused of involvement in her murder.
Citing court documents, lawyers said the person who masterminded her slaying was a political figure living inside Russia. The indictment, however, did not reveal his name and gave few other clues, the lawyers said.
The motive was revenge for her critical reporting, said a defence lawyer, Murat Musayev. "In the indictment we read that . . . this is a political figure inside the Russian Federation and that he ordered this crime to punish Anna Politkovskaya for critical publications."
Speaking outside the Moscow court, he said: "It's written just like that. It says the person doesn't live abroad, but is here in Russia. But there is no name. And there is no concrete information. It appears to be supposition."
Russian officials have previously claimed that Boris Berezovsky - the London-based former oligarch - arranged the murder of Politkovskaya, who was shot dead outside in October 2006.
The news came as events inside the courtroom yesterday teetered on the shambolic.
The judge, Yevgeny Zubov, scrapped his ruling banning media.
Last week Judge Zubov said the trial would be open, but then changed his mind, claiming the jury had objected to the presence of reporters. However, this was contradicted by one of the jurors in a radio interview.