MOSCOW, May 21 (RAPSI) - The case against five suspects linked to the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya has been referred to court, the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Tuesday.

"Deputy Prosecutor General Viktor Grin has sent the case into the murder of Novaya Gazeta journalist Anna Politkovskaya to court," the statement reads.

Anna Politkovskaya, a journalist for the opposition newspaper, was shot dead in her apartment building in central Moscow on October 7, 2006. Her murder is believed to be linked to her groundbreaking coverage of human rights abuses in Chechnya. She was also a passionate critic of the Kremlin.
The pre-trial investigation involved Sergei Khadzhikurbanov, the brothers Rustam, Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov, their uncle Lom-Ali Gaitukayev and former police officer Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov.

Pavlyuchenkov claimed to have run surveillance on Anna Politkovskaya leading up to her murder. He agreed to a plea bargain, was tried and sentenced by the Moscow City Court to 11 years in prison last December. In addition to this, the court held that Pavlyuchenkov must pay the Politkovskaya children three million rubles, thus partially satisfying their request for 10 million.

Lom-Ali Gaitukayev is accused of having organized the murder, and of having hired three of his relatives to help him: the Makhmudov brothers Rustam, Ibragim and Dzhabrail, and another former police official, Sergei Khadzhikurbanov.

Lom-Ali Gaitukayev is accused of having organized the murder and of having hired three relatives - the Makhmudov brothers - as well as former police officer Sergei Khadzhikurbanov to help him.

Rustam Makhmudov is named as the alleged triggerman. The person who actually ordered the killing remains unknown, but is believed to have received $150,000 to orchestrate the proceedings.