MOSCOW. Dec 28 (Interfax) - The Moscow Basmanny Court has again extended the arrest of former police officer Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, a suspect in the murder of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya. His lawyers intend to file a complaint regarding the lengthy investigation.
"No one doubted that his arrest would be extended," lawyer Alexei Mikhalchuk told Interfax.
Khadzhikurbanov, who is currently serving a sentence for a different crime, was transferred to Moscow for an investigation into the Politkovskaya killing. By law, a measure of restrain is now to be selected for him again.
"There has been no court control over this case for six years. My client has been a suspect for five years. In accordance with the legislation, every suspect has a right to be tried within a reasonable amount of time. I asked the court to issue a recommendation to the Investigations Committee with regard for the dragging out of this case," the lawyer said.
"I plan to contest the lengthy investigation," the lawyer said.
Six suspects currently figure in the case: the brothers Rustam, Ibragim and Dzhabrail Makhmudov, Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, Lom-Ali Gaitukayev, and Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov. Pavlyuchenkov's case is being probed separately.
The suspects were charged with murder and illegal possession of weapons.
Investigators believe Gaitukayev organized the killing and Khadzhikurbanov led the criminal group after his arrest for an earlier crime in Ukraine.
Politkovskaya was killed in the hallway of her apartment building in Moscow on October 7, 2006.