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| Politkovskaya suspects acquitted | Politkovskaya suspects acquitted |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A Russian court has acquitted three men accused of aiding the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya in October 2006. | A Russian court has acquitted three men accused of aiding the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya in October 2006. |
| The court in Moscow handed down "not guilty" verdicts on brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov and ex-police officer Sergei Khadzhikurbanov. | The court in Moscow handed down "not guilty" verdicts on brothers Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov and ex-police officer Sergei Khadzhikurbanov. |
| A third brother, Rustam, is accused of the actual murder and remains at large. | A third brother, Rustam, is accused of the actual murder and remains at large. |
| Russian prosecutors said they would appeal against the verdicts delivered by the jury. | Russian prosecutors said they would appeal against the verdicts delivered by the jury. |
| Ms Politkovskaya, a fierce Kremlin critic, was shot in her apartment building. | Ms Politkovskaya, a fierce Kremlin critic, was shot in her apartment building. |
| FROM THE BBC WORLD SERVICE More from BBC World Service | |
| The brutal murder of the reporter, who worked for the small-circulation Novaya Gazeta newspaper, highlighted the risks run by journalists in Russia. | The brutal murder of the reporter, who worked for the small-circulation Novaya Gazeta newspaper, highlighted the risks run by journalists in Russia. |
| She was the 13th journalist to be killed in a contract-style killing in Russia during Vladimir Putin's period as president, according to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists. | She was the 13th journalist to be killed in a contract-style killing in Russia during Vladimir Putin's period as president, according to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists. |
| While her death shocked the international community, it did not register widely in Russia. | While her death shocked the international community, it did not register widely in Russia. |
| 'Shame' | 'Shame' |
| According to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, the jury took two hours to arrive at its verdict. | According to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, the jury took two hours to arrive at its verdict. |
| The defendants were allowed to leave the court free men | The defendants were allowed to leave the court free men |
| It also acquitted a former FSB (Federal Security Service) agent, Pavel Ryaguzov, of an extortion charge relating to the case. | It also acquitted a former FSB (Federal Security Service) agent, Pavel Ryaguzov, of an extortion charge relating to the case. |
| Investigators said last summer they believed that Rustam Makhmudov, 34, was hiding in western Europe. | Investigators said last summer they believed that Rustam Makhmudov, 34, was hiding in western Europe. |
| They have not named or arrested anyone suspected of "ordering" the killing. | They have not named or arrested anyone suspected of "ordering" the killing. |
| The three brothers come from Chechnya, where Ms Politkovskaya did some of her most damning reports into alleged abuses by Russian security forces. | The three brothers come from Chechnya, where Ms Politkovskaya did some of her most damning reports into alleged abuses by Russian security forces. |
| Reacting to Thursday's acquittals, the chairman of the Russian Union of Journalists, Vsevolod Bogdanov, said he was "ashamed". | Reacting to Thursday's acquittals, the chairman of the Russian Union of Journalists, Vsevolod Bogdanov, said he was "ashamed". |
| "I have this feeling of incredible shame - at what level was the investigation conducted that the jurors delivered this verdict unanimously?" he asked, speaking to Interfax news agency. | "I have this feeling of incredible shame - at what level was the investigation conducted that the jurors delivered this verdict unanimously?" he asked, speaking to Interfax news agency. |