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Anniversary appeal for Litvinenko | Anniversary appeal for Litvinenko |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The family of murdered Russian Alexander Litvinenko is renewing its appeal for justice on the first anniversary of his death. | The family of murdered Russian Alexander Litvinenko is renewing its appeal for justice on the first anniversary of his death. |
The former KGB agent died at London's University College Hospital after being poisoned by radioactive polonium-210. | The former KGB agent died at London's University College Hospital after being poisoned by radioactive polonium-210. |
His widow Marina is to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights to try to pressure Russian authorities. | His widow Marina is to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights to try to pressure Russian authorities. |
The UK has tried to extradite suspect Andrei Lugovoi, who denies involvement, but without success. | |
Outspoken critic | Outspoken critic |
Mrs Litvinenko is to be joined by supporters outside the hospital on Friday, and there is to be a reading of her husband's death-bed statement accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of being involved in his murder. | Mrs Litvinenko is to be joined by supporters outside the hospital on Friday, and there is to be a reading of her husband's death-bed statement accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of being involved in his murder. |
If serious crime on the scale of this poisoning is allowed to go unpunished it brings into disrepute the whole authority of the police Marina Litvinenko Litvinenko a year on | |
The Litvinenko family's legal move is being led by high-profile solicitor Louise Christian, who has represented the cases of Britons being held at Guantanamo Bay and relatives of the Potters Bar rail crash victims. | The Litvinenko family's legal move is being led by high-profile solicitor Louise Christian, who has represented the cases of Britons being held at Guantanamo Bay and relatives of the Potters Bar rail crash victims. |
She said: "If serious crime on the scale of this poisoning is allowed to go unpunished it brings into disrepute the whole authority of the police, the courts and the government. | She said: "If serious crime on the scale of this poisoning is allowed to go unpunished it brings into disrepute the whole authority of the police, the courts and the government. |
"The British government must ensure this does not happen. The rule of law itself will be under threat if there is any suggestion that justice has been compromised because of diplomatic or foreign policy considerations." | "The British government must ensure this does not happen. The rule of law itself will be under threat if there is any suggestion that justice has been compromised because of diplomatic or foreign policy considerations." |
Mr Litvinenko, who was an outspoken critic of Mr Putin's leadership in Russia, died after drinking tea containing the poison. | Mr Litvinenko, who was an outspoken critic of Mr Putin's leadership in Russia, died after drinking tea containing the poison. |
UK-Russian relations | UK-Russian relations |
The UK considers Mr Lugovoi the main suspect in the case, and wants him to stand trial in this country. | The UK considers Mr Lugovoi the main suspect in the case, and wants him to stand trial in this country. |
But the businessman, who is running for a seat in the Russian parliament, claims the British case for his extradition has collapsed. | But the businessman, who is running for a seat in the Russian parliament, claims the British case for his extradition has collapsed. |
Mr Lugovoi rejects all charges and has just won a libel case against a prominent Russian newspaper. | Mr Lugovoi rejects all charges and has just won a libel case against a prominent Russian newspaper. |
BBC correspondent Bridget Kendall says there seems little prospect of the Russian government changing its mind and extraditing Mr Lugovoi. | BBC correspondent Bridget Kendall says there seems little prospect of the Russian government changing its mind and extraditing Mr Lugovoi. |
In the wake of the Litvinenko affair there has been a deterioration in UK-Russian relations. | In the wake of the Litvinenko affair there has been a deterioration in UK-Russian relations. |
There have been tit-for-tat expulsions of first Russian then British diplomats, and a suspension of co-operation between security services, with no sign of either government inclined to back down. | There have been tit-for-tat expulsions of first Russian then British diplomats, and a suspension of co-operation between security services, with no sign of either government inclined to back down. |