Olga Trusevich claims Markelov accepted cases other lawyers refused to undertake

Stanislav Markelov accepted politically motivated cases which other lawyers refused to undertake because they were afraid to be knocked out of the system. This was stated today to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent during the funeral of Markelov at Moscow Ostankino cemetery  by Olga Trusevich, member of "Memorial" human rights center .

"He was my friend who defended the most desolate and unhappy people in this country, he rescued people wounded during the shooting in Moscow in 1993, simple people who accidentally happened to be there during the shoot-out by the authorities. He accepted cases which other pathos-driven lawyers refused to undertake", stated Olga Trusevich.

According to Trusevich, Markelov's cases caused political resonance.

The funeral ceremony was attended by more than 300 people, including some well-known advocates and human rights activists.

Lev Levinson, expert of the Institute of Human Rights, said: "Stanislav was my friend and a reliable partner in my work. Along with me, he dealt with a very specific issue, defense from the arbitrariness of the State Committee on Narcotics Supervision. <…> There are lots of theories about the murder but I think Budanov is hardly behind this. However unpleasant the man might be, my instinct says there is a fascist trace here".

Elena Sannikova, former Soviet political prisoner, stated she had an impression "that the best, bravest and kindest people are gradually hunted down". According to her, that was the most impudent and cynical murder.

Natalia Estemirova, employee of the HRC "Memorial" office in Grozny, expressed her belief that Markelov had been murdered "with the blessing of the authorities".

During the ceremony, Henry Reznik called the murder of the lawyer "a slap in the face of the bar and the entire country".

Today, a mourning ceremony was held in the ritual hall of Moscow Central Hospital to mourn for Anastasiya Baburova, 25-year-old student of Moscow State University and free-lance correspondent of the "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper.

Scores of young anarchists, anti-fascists and radical ecologists attended the event, reports the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Baburova was their friend, she was member of the movement "Autonomous Action", member of the editing board and maker-up of the magazine "Avtonom". In the summer of 2008 she, like Markelov, took part in the protest action of the environmental movement "Rainbow Keepers" held near Sasovo, Riazan region.

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Source: CK correspondent