The profession of a lawyer in Russia gained unusual popularity in the 1990s and 2000s. Even now, the country's institutions are full of lawyers of all possible qualifications, but there are not many really 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 defenders of the 1990-2000s, Stanislav Yurievich Markelov. His work was almost always associated with the well-known scandalous affairs of that period in the history of Russia, and even 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 society, to always be at the forefront. So, in 1993, during the bloody events of Black October, Markelov helped the victims of the military. Around the same time, he joined the party of Social Democrats of Russia, actively participated in actions to protect the rights of students. Perhaps these circumstances influenced the future choice of profession, and in 1997 he graduated from the State Law Academy of Moscow.
The International Club and the Union of Lawyers are one of the most prestigious communities around the world, and Stanislav Markelov, a young specialist, becomes their member. The biography of this man also includes the foundation of the Institute of the Rule of Law, which he himself headed.
Professional activity
From the very beginning, Markelov defined himself as a specialist in war crimes, terrorist events, especially those that received wide resonance in society. Everyone knew him as an active anti-fascist who, in the difficult conditions of the establishment of democracy in Russia, continued to fight for human rights.
Stanislav Markelov is a lawyer who was not afraid of even the most complex and, it would seem, losing processes. 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 the data was classified, and the person involved was equated with terrorists. Markelov was able to ensure that the case was retrained, and in the end, Sokolov was presented with an article on the damage to state property.
In his practice, he more than once faced with crimes of a terrorist nature. So, in the “Krasnodar Case” by Larisa Schiptsova, Stanislav Yurievich Markelov proved that he was subjected to pressure from the prosecution, but with the intention of further protecting the accused, he was ultimately involved 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 killings. 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 on Dubrovka. Stanislav Markelov, it would seem that he 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 in 2004, when he represented the interests of the family of Elsa Kungarova, kidnapped and killed by Yuri Budanov. The Russian human rights activist advocated a harsher sentence for the former colonel, which, in turn, caused dissatisfaction from the radical groups.
In April 2004, several men attacked Markelov at a metro station, beat him and took away important documents. The victim tried to initiate an investigation, but the case was never received. At about the same time, on the websites of fascist organizations, his name appeared in the list of possible targets for revenge.
It is noteworthy that on the day of the murder, Stanislav Markelov also attended the scandalous case, which was the reason for rumors about this event as the cause of the death of a lawyer.
Fateful day
On January 19, 2004, Markelov participated in a press conference at which conditional release of Yuri Budanov was discussed. In particular, the human rights activist of the Kungaeva family stated his disagreement with the decision of the court of the Ulyanovsk region and promised to do everything to cancel it.
After the press conference, Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova they left the building on Prechistenka and headed for the car when a man in a black jacket walking towards them went around them and shot a lawyer in the back of his head. The death of the young journalist, apparently, was accidental. Judging by the video from the nearest security cameras, she tried to detain the killer, but got a bullet in her head. According to others, Baburova was also a target; her articles were often devoted to informal groups in Russia.
The man, later identified as ultranationalist Nikita Tikhonov, fled the scene, having dispersed passers-by with a gun. Markelov died immediately, the girl first remained alive, but she died already in the hospital.
Anastasia Baburova - an accidental victim
There are many questions in this crime. For example, what connected the scandalous lawyer and the young freelance journalist of the Novaya Gazeta, why they killed two of them, why on this day?
Anastasia Baburova was a bright and extraordinary personality. Despite her young age, she knew several languages, studied at MGIMO, where she left on her own initiative, and in the near future she was supposed to defend a journalism diploma at Moscow State University.
Nastya is an activist of the anti-fascist movement, and she was not limited to writing articles, she held rallies and participated in various protests against the activities of neo-Nazis, defended the rights of migrants from neighboring countries.
Baburova also received threats from the Nazi camp, but, according to friends, she was not afraid and did not back down from her ideas. She even practiced some martial arts, which is probably why she was not afraid to rush to her killer.
The investigation considered her death as an accident, although, given the direction of the work of a novice journalist, the possibility of a deliberate attack in advance cannot be denied.
After the shot, the girl was still alive for some time, but an ambulance arrived at the scene after only 40 minutes. Later, Anastasia’s father will say that his daughter could still be saved.
Versions
Immediately after the crime, the investigation suggested that Markelov’s murder was directly related to his activities as a lawyer. Those who closely knew the human rights activist immediately reported the connection of the crime with the Budanov case. Stanislav Markelov wanted to appeal the court decision on the release of the colonel before the end of the term, and, according to Lev Ponomarev, Stanislav Yuryevich received threats on this occasion more than once.
The Kungaev family living at that time in Norway expressed the same opinion; they directly linked the exit from Budanov prison and the loud murder of a lawyer. Although the disgraced colonel himself completely denied his involvement, saying that he did not make sense 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; at different times, people disliked by the government of the republic became clients of a lawyer. He dealt with the case of the abduction of Mokhmadsalah Masayev, 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 hours. 1. However , the suspect was detained almost a year later. All this time, journalists conducted their investigation, the brother of the murdered, 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, Nikita Tikhonov, an ex-member of the RNE (Russian National Unity) organization, and his assistant, Evgenia Khasis, were detained. A version of the reason for the revenge killing was confirmed. After all, Stanislav Markelov often helped supporters of the anti-fascist movement avoid prison. Moreover, such a death could turn out to be a symbol of neo-Nazi power, an instrument of intimidation for others.
Court
Since the case received great publicity, the investigation lasted almost two years, the prosecution could not allow any doubt in the evidence and evidence, the whole process was constantly under the intense attention of the public and even the government.
Suspect Tikhonov pleaded guilty, but categorically denied any involvement in nationalist groups. At the trial, he regretted the murder of Anastasia Baburova, calling him a mistake. And also recognized guilt and Eugenia Khasis, who tracked the movement of the Russian human rights activist.
On April 28, 2011, a jury made a decision. Both defendants did not deserve leniency, Tikhonov received a life sentence, his crime aide - 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, identifying this crime as a fatal blow to human rights in the Russian Federation. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, but urged not to give the case a political color.
In this regard, the reaction of the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, is interesting, who not only said that Stanislav Yurievich Markelov was a true patriot, but also awarded him a posthumous medal.
Companions Markelov on 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 dead lawyer was not afraid to express his thoughts and beliefs publicly.
Memory
This double murder affected not 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 the dead, men and women came up with posters and slogans calling for respect for human rights in Russia, for the observance of which Stanislav Markelov lived and worked, for which he killed the famous human rights activist.
His memory still lives on. His stamina and perseverance can serve as an example to all who try in the lawyer case. He was one of the first not afraid to remain consistent in upholding his point of view, he was able to focus on the facts in work, and not on the imposed main version of what happened.