Prosecutors Seek Life Sentences In Politkovskaya Case

Prosecutors have asked that two men convicted in the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya be sentenced to life in prison.

The prosecutors also asked Moscow City Court on May 27 to sentence three other defendants in the case to jail terms ranging from 15 to 22 years.

Judge Pyotr Melekhin said the sentences would be pronounced on June 9.

Last week, a jury found four of the men guilty of organizing Politkovskaya's murder, while the fifth defendant was found guilty of actually carrying out the killing.

Politkovskaya was gunned down in 2006 in Moscow. She had reported on human rights abuses in Chechnya.

Amnesty International said in a statement last week that "full justice will not be served until those who ordered" Politkovskaya's murder "are identified and face the courts."


Based on reporting by Interfax and ITAR-TASS