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Moscow police tighten security ahead of memorial rally

Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova were shot and killed in Prechistenka Street on January 19, 2009

MOSCOW, January 19 (Itar-Tass) — Moscow police tightened security ahead of the memorial rally for lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova, due to take place at 19:30, on Thursday, a city police official told Itar-Tass.

"The rally has been sanctioned by Town Hall," the official said, adding that the participants will march along the Nikitsky and Tverskoi Avenues to Novonikitsky Square, the venue of the memorial meeting. Up to 300 persons are expected to participate.

"Police have taken additional security measures around the venue of the action. It enlisted reinforcements from the Interior Ministry's operations regiment for the Russian capital," the press service representative said.

Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova were shot and killed in Prechistenka Street on January 19, 2009. Nikita Tikhonov, one of the founders of the Russky Obraz magazine and activist of the Russian Verdict organization Yevgeniya Khasis were found guilty of the murder. Tikhonov was sentenced to life, and Khasis got 18 years in prison.

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