Five men were convicted in the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, a writer for the independent paper Novaya Gazeta and an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.Politkovskaya was killed in 2006 while covering human rights violations in Chechnya, criticizing both Putin and the Chechen leaders. She was gunned down in an elevator in her apartment building by Rustam Makhmudov who was assisted by his brothers Ibragim and Dzhabrail. Lom-Ali Gaitukayev, their uncle, and Sergei Khadzhikurbanov were also convicted for helping plan and organize the assassination.
This is the second trial for the convicted men. Ibragim, Dzhabrail, and Khadzhikubanov were acquitted of the murder in 2009, triggering an international outcry over freedom of the press in Russia. The Russian Supreme Court overturned the verdict and ordered a new trial.
Though the people who were responsible for the actual murder have been convicted, there is no information as to who ordered her slaying.