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Boris Nemtsov murder trial begins at Moscow military court | Boris Nemtsov murder trial begins at Moscow military court |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Five men accused of involvement in the killing of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov have gone on trial at a military court in Moscow. | Five men accused of involvement in the killing of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov have gone on trial at a military court in Moscow. |
A former deputy prime minister who became a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin, Nemtsov was shot dead last year near the Kremlin. | A former deputy prime minister who became a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin, Nemtsov was shot dead last year near the Kremlin. |
The defendants - all Chechens - were allegedly promised cash to kill him. All deny the charges. | The defendants - all Chechens - were allegedly promised cash to kill him. All deny the charges. |
His relatives fear whoever ordered the killing will never be found. | His relatives fear whoever ordered the killing will never be found. |
"The murder of Boris Nemtsov has not been solved," said lawyer Olga Mikhailova, who represents his family. | |
She added that the investigation was neither "effective" nor "comprehensive". | |
Lawyers for Nemtsov's family also pointed to a lack of video evidence despite the crime happening close to one of the most famous landmarks in Russia. | |
Tight security was in place as the trial began, with the suspects led into court by armed police wearing balaclavas. | Tight security was in place as the trial began, with the suspects led into court by armed police wearing balaclavas. |
Nemtsov, who was 55, served as first deputy prime minister under President Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s. | Nemtsov, who was 55, served as first deputy prime minister under President Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s. |
But after falling out of favour with Yeltsin's successor, Mr Putin, he became an outspoken opposition politician, attacking the government over the economy, corruption and its involvement in Ukraine's war. | But after falling out of favour with Yeltsin's successor, Mr Putin, he became an outspoken opposition politician, attacking the government over the economy, corruption and its involvement in Ukraine's war. |
Who are the accused? | Who are the accused? |
Nemtsov murder: The suspects | Nemtsov murder: The suspects |
On what was to be his last night alive Nemtsov had been on a liberal radio station, calling on listeners to join a protest rally at the weekend. | On what was to be his last night alive Nemtsov had been on a liberal radio station, calling on listeners to join a protest rally at the weekend. |
He was shot in the back late at night crossing a bridge a few hundreds meters from to the Kremlin, where the president has his office, dying on the spot. | |
The site is still marked with flowers in his memory, and some Moscovites now refer to it as "Nemtsov's bridge". | |
President Putin called the murder "vile and cynical" and vowed that those responsible would be held to account. | President Putin called the murder "vile and cynical" and vowed that those responsible would be held to account. |
The accused are said to have had Nemtsov under surveillance for months. | The accused are said to have had Nemtsov under surveillance for months. |
The suspect who investigators say carried out the killing, Zaur Dadayev, was an officer under the command of pro-Moscow's Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia's Chechen Republic in the volatile North Caucasus. | |
Russian authorities are still seeking the arrest of Ruslan Mukhudinov, who is believed to have fled abroad. He is said to have ordered Nemtsov's killing. | |
But lawyers for Nemtsov's family say the investigators have exaggerated Mr Mukhudinov's role and "the masterminds are high-ranking people". | |
Russia has seen several killings of high-profile politicians and journalists. | Russia has seen several killings of high-profile politicians and journalists. |
But the country has a long history of prosecuting alleged hit-men and then failing to follow the chain of command upwards to discover who ordered the murder or why, our Moscow correspondent Sarah Rainsford says. | But the country has a long history of prosecuting alleged hit-men and then failing to follow the chain of command upwards to discover who ordered the murder or why, our Moscow correspondent Sarah Rainsford says. |