On May 6, the Moscow City Court sentenced Nikita Tikhonov to life imprisonment for murdering lawyer Stanislav Markelov and reporter Anastasia Baburova.

Tikhonov’s common law wife, Yevheniya Khasis, was found guilty of being an accomplice to the murder, and was sentenced to 18 years in medium security prison.

The court also ruled in favor of Anastasia Baburova’s parents in their civil claim against Tikhonov, and ordered him to pay 2 million rubles in moral compensation and 40,000 roubles in material compensation. Baburova’s parents had requested compensation in the amount of 5 million rubles.

While announcing the verdict, the judge admonished the defendants for their cynicism, lack of remorse, and the grave severity of their crime.

Judge Alexander Zamashnyuk stated that the defendants had to be dealt lengthy prison terms despite their lack of previous convictions and positive references from work and school, in order to “restore social justice and prevent similar crimes in the future”.

A day earlier, prosecutor Boris Loktionov also called for the need to restore social justice. The day the verdict was read, he emphasized that the defendants had committed a disdainful, socially dangerous crime, and that they intended to continue their illegal activities.

While the verdict was read, Tikhonov and Khasis embraced each other and exchanged a few comments. Upon hearing their sentences, they remained outwardly calm, smiling, and conversing.