Stanislav Markelov
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20 May 1974
Stanislav Markelov | |
|---|---|
Станислав Маркелов | |
 Markelov in 2007 | |
| Born | Stanislav Yuryevich Markelov 20 May 1974 |
| Died | 19 January 2009 (aged 34) Moscow, Russia |
Cause of death | Murder |
| Alma mater | Moscow State Law University |
| Occupations | Human rights lawyer and journalist |
Stanislav Yuryevich Markelov (Russian: Станисла́в Ю́рьевич Марке́лов, IPA: [stənʲɪˈslaf ˈjʉrʲjɪvʲɪtɕ mɐrˈkʲeləf]; 20 May 1974 – 19 January 2009) was a Russian human rights lawyer. He participated in a number of publicized cases, including those of left-wing political activists and antifascists persecuted since the 1990s, as well as journalists and victims of police violence.
Markelov had been the attorney for the family of Elza Kungaeva, a young Chechen woman killed by Russian colonel Yuri Budanov, who was released from prison in mid-January, 15 months before his original sentence was to end. Markelov was murdered by members of the neo-Nazi organization BORN on 19 January 2009 in Moscow.
Markelov was a president of the Russian Rule of Law Institute.[1] He represented Anna Politkovskaya, who was gunned down in Moscow in 2006; Mikhail Beketov, the editor of a pro-opposition newspaper who was severely beaten in November 2008; and many Chechen civilians who had been tortured. He also defended people who were victims of the Moscow theater hostage crisis.[2]
Assassination
Markelov was shot to death on 19 January 2009 on Prechistenka street while leaving a news conference in Moscow less than 800 metres (1⁄2 mi) from the Kremlin; he was 34. Anastasia Baburova, a journalist for Novaya Gazeta who tried to come to Markelov's assistance, was also shot and killed in the attack.[3][4]
The president of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko sent a telegram to the parents of Anastasia Baburova on 23 January 2009.[5] Russian President Dmitry Medvedev offered his condolences six days later.[6][7][8]
Reactions
Close to 300 young people protested in Moscow with slogans such as "United Russia is a fascist country" and "Markelov will live forever".[9] More than 2,000 people took to the streets of Grozny.[10] Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International requested an impartial investigation.[11] A hate crimes expert, Galina Kozhevnikova, said in February 2009 that she received an e-mailed threat warning her to "get ready" to join Markelov.[12]
Investigation
In November 2009, Russian authorities declared the end of the criminal investigation. The murder suspects were 29-year-old Nikita Tikhonov and his girlfriend, 24-year-old Yevgenia Khasis, a radical nationalist couple involved with a group called Russky Obraz or Russian Image (Russian: Русский образ) and associated with the identitarian organization Combat Organization of Russian Nationalists.[13][14]
