MOSCOW, January 29 (RAPSI) – The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) had communicated to the Russian Government an application concerning the verdict in the lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova murder case, lawyer Dmitry Agranovsky, representing Yevgenia Khasis, a case convict, told RAPSI on Monday.

In May 2011, the Moscow City Court convicted and sentenced Nikita Tikhonov to life in prison and his common law wife Khasis, as an accomplice, to 18 years behind bars for the murder of Markelov and Baburova after they had been found guilty by a jury.

According to the lawyer, the ECHR asked Russia’s authorities nine questions concerning alleged violations of Article 6 (right to fair trial) of the European Convention of Human Rights and expects answers within four months, the term envisaged by the court’s rules.

In the application, Khasis and Tikhonov seek compensation of damages in the amount of 1 million and 50 thousand euros respectively.

Markelov and Baburova were shot dead in Moscow on Jan. 19, 2009.

According to the verdict, Markelov was murdered for his active participation in an anti-fascist movement and for defending individuals against fascism, whereas Baburova was shot dead as a witness of Markelov’s murder.