20:00, 30 November 2009

Moscow City Court refuses to release Evgenia Khasis, accused of murdering Stanislav Markelov

Today, the Moscow City Court upheld the arrest of Evgenia Khasis, 25, accused on the murder case of advocate Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova, killed this January. The court session was held closed.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Nikita Tikhonov and Evgenia Khasis, accused of murdering advocate Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova, were detained on November 3 and on the following day they were charged. The investigation was extended till January 18.

By its today's decision, the Court has rejected Ms Khasis' and her advocate's cassation complaint against the November 5 decision of the Basmanny Court of Moscow, which prescribed to put Khasis behind bars, the ITAR-TASS reports.

This court session was held in the closed regime, since the Basmanny Court also considered the case only in the presence of the parties, the "Interfax" reports. Then, the prosecution insisted on the closed session, referring to the secrecy of investigation.