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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Ex-officer arrested in Russian journalist's death
2011-08-24
A development in the investigation into Anna Politkovskaya's murder has been reported in Moscow. Police investigating the killing of the controversial journalist arrested a retired police lieutenant colonel, Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, on Tuesday evening.
Oh dear. This does not sound promising.
"Great news, Czar Mr. Prime Minister!"
"Yes, what is it?"
"We have scapegoat arranged for Politkovskaya murder!"
"Excellent! Good work!"
On Wednesday, Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said that there was more information about the man who ordered Politkovskaya's death, but said it would be "premature" to publically reveal this information.
"I can say no more!"
Pavlyuchenkov is suspected of arranging the killing of Politkovskaya, who was shot down outside of her Moscow home in 2006. Investigators said he was believed to have supplied the killer with a gun, but will not comment on who gave the order that the journalist should die.

Politkovskaya was known for her reporting from Chechnya, where she had exposed human rights violations during and after the war there. She died on the birthday of then-president Vladimir Putin.

Investigators believe that Pavlyuchenkov was paid to organize Politkovskaya's murder, following instructions from others. It seems that investigators may now have a clearer idea of who gave those instructions.

Meanwhile the ex-officer, who was working in the surveillance division of Moscow police in 2006, is suspected of creating a band of assassins comprising the three Makhmudov brothers, Rustam, Dzhabrail and Ibragim. Rustam was detained in Chechnya in May, and is accused of the shooting; his brothers were acquitted of driving him to and from the crime scene in a 2009 verdict which was later overturned by Russia's Supreme Court.
Posted by:ryuge

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