Court extends custody of Markelov's suspected killer till April 19

The Basmanny Court of Moscow has extended by 3.5 months the custody of Nikita Tikhonov, accused of killing advocate Stanislav Markelov and journalists Anastasia Baburova.

"The judge passed a decision to extend Tikhonov's custody by 3.5 months," said Anna Usachova, head of the press service of the Moscow City Court, that is, till April 19, 2010, as the ITAR-TASS reports.

The Life News website reports that today Nikita Tikhonov was brought to the Court for the first time without a mask on his face. Earlier, during the arrest both Tikhonov and Khasis were brought and interrogated with strong masks on their heads. Lawyers then were surprised how the judge managed to establish their personalities without seeing their faces.

The delivery of Khasis was late, and Tikhonov entered the hall alone. He was silent all the time, only before the session answering the question of the judge assistant he said that he would like to get acquainted with the materials to be considered by the court.

During the session Tikhonov said that he gave evidences under inspectors' pressure. Under his statements he was threatened with murder of his civil wife Evgenia Khasis, also a defendant in Markelov's murder case, as the "Gazeta.Ru" reports.