The legal profession in Russia gained unusual popularity in the 1990s and 2000s. Even now, the country's institutions are overflowing with lawyers of all possible qualifications, but there are not many truly good professionals among them.
Courage, the ability to defend one's opinion in front of others, no matter what, is a hallmark of a high-class lawyer. All these features were inherent in one of the most famous human rights activists of the 1990-2000s, Stanislav Yuryevich Markelov. His work was almost always associated with the famous scandalous cases of that period of Russian history, and his very life and death became a high-profile public event.
Biography
Stanislav Markelov was born in Moscow in 1974. Already at the age of 19, he sought to directly participate in the life of society, to always be at the forefront. So, in 1993, during the bloody events of Black October, Markelov helpedaffected by the actions of the military. At about the same time, he joined the Russian Social Democrats and actively participated in actions to protect the rights of students. Perhaps it was these circumstances that influenced the future choice of profession, and in 1997 he graduated from the Moscow State Law Academy.
The International Club and the Union of Lawyers is one of the most prestigious communities in the world, and a young specialist, Stanislav Markelov, becomes a member of them. The biography of this man also includes the founding of the Rule of Law Institute, which he himself headed.
Professional activities
From the very beginning, Markelov defined himself as a specialist in war crimes, terrorist events, especially those that received a wide response in society. Everyone knew him as an active anti-fascist who, in the difficult conditions of the formation of democracy in Russia, continued to fight for human rights.
Stanislav Markelov is a lawyer who was not afraid of even the most difficult and seemingly losing cases. In the late 90s, he worked on the case of Andrei Sokolov, who was accused of blowing up the memorial of the imperial family at the Vagankov cemetery, as well as the monument to Nicholas II. Initially, all data was classified, and the defendant himself was equated with terrorists. Markelov was able to ensure that the case was reclassified, and as a result, Sokolov was presented with an article on damage to state property.
In his practice, he has repeatedly encountered crimes of a terrorist nature. So, in the "Krasnodar case"Larisa Shchiptsova Stanislav Yuryevich Markelov proved that he was subjected to pressure from the prosecution, but with the intention of further defending the accused, he was eventually brought in as a witness and deprived of the right to represent her interests.
He participated as a human rights activist in the analysis of many high-profile murders. He was one of the lawyers in the Budanov case, was not afraid to speak out against the head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, on the issue of protecting the rights of the former militant Zaur Musakhainov, and participated in the process of taking hostages at Dubrovka. Stanislav Markelov, it would seem, chose the most interesting and controversial court cases, and, most importantly, often won them.
The scandalous fame that accompanied him all his life played a fatal role in his death.
Threats and the first attack
Neo-Nazis drew attention to Stanislav Markelov back in 2004, when he represented the interests of the family of Elza Kungarova, who was kidnapped and killed by Yuri Budanov. A Russian human rights activist advocated a harsher punishment for the former colonel, which, in turn, caused discontent on the part of radical groups.
In April 2004, several men attacked Markelov at one of the metro stations, he was beaten and important documents were taken away. The victim tried to start an investigation, but the case never got under way. Around the same time, on the websites of fascist organizations, his name appeared on the list of possible targets for revenge.
It is noteworthy that on the day of the murder, Stanislav Markelov was also present at the consideration of the scandalous case,which gave rise to rumors about this event as the cause of the lawyer's death.
Fatal Day
On January 19, 2009, Markelov participated in a press conference discussing the parole of Yuri Budanov. In particular, the human rights activist of the Kungaeva family expressed his disagreement with the decision of the court of the Ulyanovsk region and promised to do everything to cancel it.
After the end of the press conference, Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova left the building on Prechistenka and headed for the car when a man in a black jacket walked towards them and shot the lawyer in the back of the head. The death of a young journalist, apparently, was accidental. Judging by the video from nearby security cameras, she tried to apprehend the killer, but was shot in the head. According to others, Baburova was also a target, her articles often focused on informal groups in Russia.
A man later identified as ultra-nationalist Nikita Tikhonov fled the scene, dispersing passers-by with a pistol. Markelov died immediately, the girl remained alive at first, but died already in the hospital.
Anastasia Baburova is an unexpected victim
There are many questions in this crime. For example, what connected the scandalous lawyer and the young freelance journalist of Novaya Gazeta, why were they killed, why on this day?
Anastasia Baburova was a bright and extraordinary personality. Despite her rather young age, she knew several languages, studied at MGIMO, from where she left on her own initiative, and in the near futurewas supposed to defend her diploma in journalism at Moscow State University.
Nastya is an activist of the anti-fascist movement, and she was not limited only to writing articles, she held rallies and herself participated in various protests against the activities of neo-Nazis, defended the rights of migrants from neighboring countries.
Baburova also received threats from the camp of the Nazis, but, according to her friends, she was not afraid and did not retreat from her ideas. She even practiced some martial arts, which is probably why she wasn't afraid to throw herself at her killer.
The investigation considered her death as an accident, although, given the direction of the aspiring journalist, the possibility of a premeditated attack cannot be denied.
After the shot, the girl was still alive for some time, but the ambulance arrived at the scene only 40 minutes later. Later, Anastasia's father will say that his daughter could still be saved.
Versions
Immediately after the crime, the investigation suggested that the murder of Markelov was directly related to his activities as a lawyer. Those who knew the human rights activist closely immediately reported the connection between the crime and the Budanov case. Stanislav Markelov wanted to appeal the court's decision to release the colonel before the end of his term, and, according to Lev Ponomarev, Stanislav Yuryevich received more than once threats about this.
The Kungaev family, who lived in Norway at that time, expressed the same opinion, they directly connected the release from prisonBudanov and the high-profile murder of a lawyer. Although the disgraced colonel himself completely denied any involvement, saying that it made no sense for him to kill anyone at all.
The second version, which later became the main one, is the revenge of neo-Nazis for Markelov's professional activities, because he successfully defended the rights of anti-fascists in court.
Many tried to find a Chechen trace in this murder, people objectionable to the government of the republic became clients of the lawyer at different times. He was involved in the kidnapping case of Mokhmadsalah Masaev, and even wanted to file documents with the European Court of Human Rights regarding his disappearance.
Investigation
The prosecutor's office immediately opened a criminal case under Art. 105 part 1. However, the arrest of the suspect took place almost a year later. All this time, the journalists were conducting their own investigation, the brother of the murdered man, former State Duma deputy Mikhail Markelov, made statements several times that he knew the criminals and was actively cooperating with the investigation.
On November 3, ex-member of RNE (Russian National Unity) Nikita Tikhonov and his assistant Yevgenia Khasis were detained. The version about the reason for the revenge killing was confirmed. After all, Stanislav Markelov often helped supporters of the anti-fascist movement to avoid prison. Moreover, such a death could turn out to be a symbol of the strength of neo-Nazis, an instrument of intimidation for others.
Court
Since the case received a great public outcry, the investigation lasted almost two years, the prosecution could not allow anydoubts in the evidence and evidence, the whole process was constantly under the increased attention of society and even the government of the country.
The suspect Tikhonov pleaded guilty, but categorically denied involvement in nationalist groups. At the trial, he regretted the murder of Anastasia Baburova, calling it a mistake. The guilt of Evgenia Khasis, who tracked the movement of the Russian human rights activist, was also recognized.
April 28, 2011, the jury reached a decision. Both defendants did not deserve leniency, Tikhonov received a life sentence, his accomplice in crime - 18 years.
Public reaction
The murder of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova caused a storm of various comments.
The Director-General of UNESCO reacted extremely sharply, defining this crime as a mortal blow to human rights in the Russian Federation. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed condolences to the families of the victims, but urged not to give the case a political color.
Interesting in this vein is the reaction of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, who not only said that Stanislav Yuryevich Markelov was a true patriot, but also awarded him a medal posthumously.
Markelov's comrades-in-arms in terms of their professional activities and the similarity of ideology noted the great importance of the death of a human rights activist. They noted the backwardness and cowardice of Russian society, in contrast to which the tragically deceased lawyer was not afraid to express his thoughts and beliefs publicly.
Memory
This double murder affectednot only those who knew Markelov and Baburina. A few days after the event, caring people went to the crime scene, met and discussed what had happened.
In 2012, 2013 and 2015, the anti-fascist community organized rallies in memory of those killed, men and women came with posters and slogans calling for respect for human rights in Russia, for which Stanislav Markelov lived and worked, for which the famous human rights defender.
The memory of him still lives on. His perseverance and perseverance can serve as an example to anyone who tries in the lawyer's business. He was one of the first who was not afraid to remain consistent in defending his point of view, he was able to focus on facts in his work, and not on the main version of what happened.
