Russian Supreme Court receives appeal from men convicted for role in Politkovskaya murder
MOSCOW. Oct 7 (Interfax) - The Russian Supreme Court has received an appeal by five men sentenced in June 2014 to lengthy prison sentences for their role in the killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
"The case materials have arrived, but the date for considering the appeal by those convicted by the first instance court has not yet been set," the Supreme Court press service told Interfax on Tuesday.
The Moscow City Court found five men guilty of involvement in Politkovskaya's murder and sentenced them to prison terms varying from 12 years to life in June 2014. In particular, Dzhabrail Makhmudov was sentenced to 14 years in a strict security penitentiary. His brother, Ibragim Makhmudov, whom the jury found to deserve lenience, received 12 years in a strict security penitentiary. Former policeman Sergei Khadzhikurbanov was sentenced to 20 years in a strict security penitentiary.
Lom-Ali Gaitukayev, whom the jury found guilty of organizing the killing, and Rustam Makhmudov, who was found guilty of having done the killing itself, were sentenced to life. Judge Pavel Melekhin reasoned that the two posed exceptional danger to society.
The men disagreed with the sentence and appealed it with the Supreme Court.
Novaya Gazeta observer Politkovskaya was killed in the lobby of her house in Moscow on October 7, 2006.
