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Juror Defies Russian Court's Attempts to Close Trial
From left, Sergei Khadzhikurbanov and Ibragim and Dhzabrail Makhmudov are accused of helping to arrange the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, a journalist and particularly harsh critic of the Kremlin.
(By Sergey Ponomarev -- Associated Press)
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He said a court secretary had told the jurors of the media interest in the case and suggested they request a closed trial. "She came in several times and brought us a form, which said we wanted to bar the media because we were afraid," Kolesov said.
Some jurors were worried cameras would be allowed in the courtroom, he said, but they unanimously agreed to let the trial begin with reporters present and "see how it went." He added that 19 of the 20 jurors and alternate jurors signed a letter to the judge denying they wanted the news media removed.
Echo Moskvy said it had seen an official court pass identifying Kolesov as a juror in the case. A court spokesman declined to comment on his assertions.
Dmitry Muratov, editor in chief of Novaya Gazeta, said Kolesov's statements confirmed his suspicions. "We said that all this looks not quite clean, that it looks like a special operation and not a court hearing, and now it is becoming clear that indeed is the case," he told the Reuters news agency.
A lawyer for the defense, Murad Musayev, said he believed the judge was trying to close the trial on orders from superiors. "We will demand an open trial," he said.
Karina Moskalenko, a lawyer representing Politkovskaya's family, said she would also renew her request for an open trial, but she was more cautious in describing the judge's actions, saying he might have been misinformed about the jury's opinion.
"There should be consequences, and the consequence should be an open trial," she said. "I would insist on it even more energetically, and I'm more optimistic it will happen."
