MOSCOW, December 21 - RAPSI. The Moscow City Court has refused to release from custody Rustam Makhmudov, who is accused of murdering renowned journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the Russian Legal Information Agency/rapsinews.com reported from the court on Wednesday.

The prosecutor noted that the charges against Makhmudov are based on the charges by police officer Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, who is suspected of organizing the murder.
Pavlyuchenkov said he gave Makhmudov a gun used to kill Politkovskaya. He said a witness can confirm this.

While commenting on Makhmudovs statement that he did not hide from investigators, the prosecutor reminded he was placed on the international wanted list and used forged documents.

Politkovskaya, who was well known for her investigative journalism on human rights offenses in Chechnya, was killed in the elevator of her building on Lesnaya Street in Moscow on October 7, 2006. Investigators believe her journalistic activities prompted her murder.

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