The trial of five suspects in the murder of prominent Russian investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya has encountered new obstacles.
The hearings were temporarily halted on November 7 after a prosecutor announced that a jury member had been previously convicted of murder.
Also on November 7, Russia's Investigative Committee announced that two criminal cases have been launched against the defendants' lawyer, Murad Musayev, who is officially suspected of obstruction of justice and attempting to bribe witnesses in an unrelated case.
Musayev said it was an attempt to prevent his participation in the trial.
Politkovskaya was gunned down in 2006 near her apartment block in Moscow.
The five suspects pleaded not guilty in July.
Three of them were acquitted of similar charges in 2009 and are now being retried.
The hearings were temporarily halted on November 7 after a prosecutor announced that a jury member had been previously convicted of murder.
Also on November 7, Russia's Investigative Committee announced that two criminal cases have been launched against the defendants' lawyer, Murad Musayev, who is officially suspected of obstruction of justice and attempting to bribe witnesses in an unrelated case.
Musayev said it was an attempt to prevent his participation in the trial.
Politkovskaya was gunned down in 2006 near her apartment block in Moscow.
The five suspects pleaded not guilty in July.
Three of them were acquitted of similar charges in 2009 and are now being retried.
