Investigators in Moscow have closed their investigation into the death of Yury Shchekochikhin, an independent journalist who died under mysterious circumstances in 2003, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
Shchekochikhin, 54, worked for the Moscow-based independent newspaper "Novaya gazeta." The official cause of his death was declared to be an allergic reaction, but his colleagues told RFE/RL that they doubt the official version.
Shchekochikhin was well known for his investigative articles and analyses. His most popular works were about the liberation of captured Russian soldiers in Chechnya.
"Novaya gazeta" initiated its own investigations into his death in 2008.
Two other journalists for "Novaya gazeta" have been shot to death in the last two and a half years: Anna Politkovskaya in 2006 and Anastasia Baburova in January of this year. Both, like Shchekochikhin, wrote about Chechnya.
Yabloko party leader Grigory Yavlinsky told RFE/RL that his party will fight to reverse the decision to close the case.
Shchekochikhin, 54, worked for the Moscow-based independent newspaper "Novaya gazeta." The official cause of his death was declared to be an allergic reaction, but his colleagues told RFE/RL that they doubt the official version.
Shchekochikhin was well known for his investigative articles and analyses. His most popular works were about the liberation of captured Russian soldiers in Chechnya.
"Novaya gazeta" initiated its own investigations into his death in 2008.
Two other journalists for "Novaya gazeta" have been shot to death in the last two and a half years: Anna Politkovskaya in 2006 and Anastasia Baburova in January of this year. Both, like Shchekochikhin, wrote about Chechnya.
Yabloko party leader Grigory Yavlinsky told RFE/RL that his party will fight to reverse the decision to close the case.