Russian rights activists are gathering signatures to push for a memorial plaque to a human rights lawyer and a journalist who were slain in Moscow one year ago, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
Lawyer Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova, a reporter who worked for opposition newspaper "Novaya gazeta," were shot on January 19, 2009.
Markelov died on the spot; Baburova died later of her wounds.
Activists have written an open letter to Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov to ask that a plaque be placed at the scene, and are gathering signatures on an Internet petition supporting the move.
On January 12, the mayor's office denied permission for a march to commemorate the anniversary on January 19 -- a decision rights activists said they planned to appeal.
Markelov had protested the early release from prison of a Russian army colonel jailed over the murder of an 18-year-old Chechen girl.
The killings were condemned by international rights groups including Amnesty International.
Lawyer Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova, a reporter who worked for opposition newspaper "Novaya gazeta," were shot on January 19, 2009.
Markelov died on the spot; Baburova died later of her wounds.
Activists have written an open letter to Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov to ask that a plaque be placed at the scene, and are gathering signatures on an Internet petition supporting the move.
On January 12, the mayor's office denied permission for a march to commemorate the anniversary on January 19 -- a decision rights activists said they planned to appeal.
Markelov had protested the early release from prison of a Russian army colonel jailed over the murder of an 18-year-old Chechen girl.
The killings were condemned by international rights groups including Amnesty International.
