MOSCOW, May 25 - RAPSI. On Friday the Moscow City Court extended until August 31 the arrest of Rustam Makhmudov, who has been accused of killing journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com).

The court has satisfied the investigators' request.

Makhmudov has been under arrest for over a year.

Makhmudov has been charged with murder, illegal arms trafficking, leaving a person in danger and obstructing the right to freedom of conscience and religious worship. In another case, he has been accused of kidnapping and conjoint extortion under the threat of murder.

Politkovskaya, who was known for her investigative journalism on human rights offenses in Chechnya, was killed in Moscow on October 7, 2006.

Five people are considered suspects in the case - former police colonel Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, former police officer Sergei Kadzhikurbanov and the Makhmudov brothers.