Politovskaya-trial again closed to public

The trial was initially closed to the public, then it was opened - and then it closed again, following what clearly must have been Government sensitive testemonies. It`s turning into a farce, really.

(Anna Politovskaya was a Russian investigative journalist and Kremlin critic, murdered in 2006)

The trial judge yesterday closed the trial to the public to hear "classified evidence", as the court heared a testemony from a witness linked to Government agencies, AP reports. The trial was again opened to the public following this testimony.

Russian news agency RIA Novosti quoted Politovskaya`s lawyer saying the witness testified that one of the accused, a former police officer, had told him that he gathered information about Politovskaya. The same witness allegedly also said $2 million was "paid out" for the murder.

Well, I don`t know. Who can tell? A lot of information has come out in earlier proceedings, and a defense lawyer earlier said that court documents indicated that a unnamed Russian politician was behind the murder.

Men are standing trial and someone is probably eventualy going to get sentenced. Possibly even the men who carried out the murder. But I can`t see the ones who ordered the murder being caught. When the trial keep getting closed to the public whenever crucial evidence is being heard it`s hard to not see the proceedings as a well coreographed show.

Reporters Without Borders issued a statement, saying:

"Judge Yevgeni Zubov`s decision to continue the trial behind closed doors has increased our concerns about transparancy. It prevents journalists and public from being able to evaluate the arguements, testimony and evidence presented in court."