A prominent human rights lawyer was shot dead in the centre of Moscow on Monday. Stanislav Markelov had been preparing to appeal against the early release of a Russian former colonel sentenced for the murder of a Chechen girl. A journalist from the newspaper Novaya Gazeta has died from wounds sustained in the same attack.
Amnesty International, who worked with Stanislav Markelov on several cases, strongly condemned the murder.
"Stanislav Markelov is yet another victim – very possibly murdered for his professional and courageous work to defend human rights," said Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International.
Amnesty International expressed sympathy for the family of Stanislav Markelov and urged the Russian authorities to investigate the murder promptly, fully and objectively.
"Stanislav Markelov's murder is a despicable crime. The Russian authorities must take decisive steps to show that such crimes will not be tolerated. Silencing those who defend human rights and work to uphold the rule of law is absolutely unacceptable," Nicola Duckworth said.
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