MOSCOW, March 15 (RAPSI) – The Zubovo-Polyansky District of Russia’s Republic of Mordovia has dismissed a request for parole filed by Mikhail Kodanev sentenced to 20 years in prison for organizing the murder of the State Duma lawmaker Sergey Yushenkov, the court’s press service has told RAPSI.

In March 2004, the Moscow City court convicted Kodanev and his accomplice Alexander Vinnik of infringement on a political figure’s life and ammunition trafficking and sentenced them to 20 and 10 years in prison respectively. Vinnik, who was suffering from lethal disease, was the only defendant who pleaded guilty and showed up other criminals.

According to investigators, in February 2003, Kodanev paid Vinnik $50,000 for organizing the killing of Yushenkov, one of the leaders of the Liberal Russia party. Kodanev allegedly ordered the murder because he wanted to head the party and misappropriate its financial assets.

The State Duma lawmaker Yushenkov was shot three times in the back and died later of his wounds in Moscow on April 17, 2003.