Russian murder tried in secret

Supporters of Anna Politkovskaya, the Russian campaigning journalist who was shot dead on her Moscow doorstep in 2006, have condemned a surprise decision to hold the trial of three men accused of complicity in her death in secret.

The trial was due to begin in open court yesterday, but after 10 minutes, the judge ruled it should continue in secret, and cleared the court of reporters and members of the public, citing the safety of the jury. This surprise decision was a reversal of a ruling on Tuesday by the same judge that the trial would be public.

Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of Politkovskaya's paper, Novaya Gazeta, said: "This is a disgraceful, secret, backroom decision, which will prevent society from getting acquainted with how the case is built." Other supporters said the decision was "shameful".

The three men, including two brothers from Chechnya - Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makmudov - and a former police officer, Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, are accused of acting as accomplices in her murder. However, Rustan Makhmudov, thought to have fired the fatal shot, remains at large, investigators say.