60 persons rally at Politkovskaya's house in Moscow

In Moscow, people came to No. 8 Lesnaya Street, where Anna Politkovskaya, observer of the "Novaya Gazeta", lived and was assassinated, to commemorate the journalist.

At this moment, about 60 persons have gathered, but people continue to arrive. Many of those, who make their way here from the rally held in the Chistoprudny Boulevard, are late because of traffic jams.

The sidewalk in front of the entrance of the house cannot house the whole crowd, and people have to step out onto the carriageway. Militiamen try to push them back to the sidewalk. Private cars with ordinary state numbers and OMON fighters and militiamen observing the event inside are parked near the house in such a way as to prevent people from coming out into the road.

Near the entrance to Politkovskaya's apartment block there are big posters with Anna's photo and maple leaves and apples beneath. Lit candles and flowers are near the wall. Passers-by ask about the reason of the rally, and some of them, having learnt that today is three years after Politkovskaya's murder, go away and come back with flowers.

Apart of the posters, dedicated to Anna Politkovskaya, photos of the perished Natalia Estemirova, Yuri Schekochikhin, Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova are attached to the house wall. One of the posters has the words: "Clever, fair and courageous have no life in Russia!"

Now, a spontaneous meeting is on, where people who personally knew Anna speak, some people are crying. Church candles were given to participants; they light them and keep in hands.

All the speakers are toughly criticizing the authorities. Many journalists, foreign ones mainly, are present. No workers of Russian TV Channels arrived.

Let us note here that the action in the Chistoprudny Boulevard was attended by more than 300 persons. The rally was opened by Alexei Simonov, leader of the action and President of the Foundation in Defence of Glasnost. The audience was addressed by Liudmila Alekseeva, chair of the Moscow Helsinki Group, Mikhail Kasyanov, leader of the Russian People's Democratic Union, People's Actress of Russia Liya Akhedzhakova, and Boris Nemtsov, one of the leaders of the movement "Solidarity".