On January 27, jury selection will begin in the Tikhonov-Khasis case, accused of the murder of anti-fascist lawyer Stanislav Markelov and anti-fascist journalist Anastasia Baburova, committed on January 19, at 14:20, near house number 1 on Prechistenka Street.
The body of Stanislav Markelov on Prechistinka. Photo: RIA Novosti
It won't just be a loud process. This will be a political process — an open trial of Russian fascism, which — under the gentle supervision of the authorities — has gone from street clowns and snotty gopniks who slaughtered Tajik janitors to militant terrorist groups whose goal is to create a situation of chaos and terror in the country, their means — murders of public figures, journalists, lawyers, judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and officials.
On February 15, 2009, Novaya Gazeta received the following message: “On January 19, the odious enemies of the Russian nation Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova were killed in the center of Moscow. Last year's death of anti-fascist leader Fyodor Filatov and this January action are our last warnings to all anti-Russian human rights activists, journalists, anti-fascists, cops and officials. We demand to stop Russophobia on the streets, in the media and in judicial institutions! Otherwise, more heads will fly. From now on, none of the enemies of the Russian nation is safe. Signed: «The militant organization of Russian nationalists — BORN».
BORN does not really exist — it is a single brand for several autonomous underground groups, thrown into the Internet for propaganda effect. There is no BORN, but the threats did not remain words: on behalf of this brand, the murders of anti-fascist Ivan Khutorsky, the leader of the Caucasian youth group «Black Hawks» Rasul Khalilov, the unsuccessful blowing up of the building of the Kuntsevsky department of the UPC and the hostel of Azerbaijanis on General Belov Street in Moscow were committed. And also — the execution of at least three Asian guest workers.
Among the physical evidence confiscated from the accused Tikhonov and Khasis are documents: lists “for destruction”, which include Khalilov (with a phone number and address), photographs of judges who participated in the Nazi trials, and addresses with car numbers of employees police and anti-fascists. These documents talk a lot about BORN. Apparently, the accused Tikhonov, who is credited with co-authoring the Nazi plan of terror «Strategy 2020», also made his efforts to promote the terrorist brand: paper and practical.
The «promotion» began on January 19, 2009.< /p>
The weapon of the crime — a Browning was found in a rented apartment of the accused in the murder of Tikhonov. It was from this Browning that 3 shots were fired at close range — from a distance of 20 centimeters. Two — in Stas Markelov, in the back of the head, one in Nastya Baburova — in the temple. In addition, in the rented apartment of the accused Tikhonov, who shared it with the accused Khasis, in addition to Nazi literature, books on terrorism and samizdat on the subject of making bombs, instructions for undermining the railway track and power transmission pylons, making silencers and self-made poisonous substances, the following were confiscated: a Kalashnikov assault rifle , a CZ pistol, a Nagant revolver, a silencer, improvised explosive devices made from lemons, fuses, fuses and a scattering of cartridges for every taste. And also — wigs, false mustaches, a beard and fake passports, in which a photograph of Nikita Tikhonov, a historian and journalist, as his supporters call the accused of murder, was pasted. After a few months, of course, he began to deny that this weapon had anything to do with him. But — with one exception: the fact that Browning him — Tikhonov did not deny.
They took him at the door of a rented apartment: on November 3, 2009, he gathered for an evening walk with a machine gun and a revolver. Khasis was with him. Then her lawyer in court in a civil lawsuit, which the accused Khasis tried to bring to Novaya Gazeta, will play up: they say that his client did not live in that apartment, but entered, like, by accident.
Accused of the murder of Markelov and Baburova Evgenia Khasis and Nikita Tikhonov (direct killer). Photo: Artem Korotaev / TASS
But there is a two-week wiretapping (sanctioned by the court), from which it follows: the accused Tikhonov and Khasis lived together; discussed together who deserved to die and who did not; together they dismantled and cleaned weapons, intending to shoot back in case of arrest; discussed new murders together. «Human rights activist» Khasis insisted on personal participation in one of them — because of this, there was even a scandal. Of the murders discussed by the accused Tikhonov and Khasis, at least two were committed: the anti-fascist Ivan Khutorsky and the “hawk” Khalilov. Moreover, it can be assumed that Tikhonov carried out external surveillance of the entrance of one of the victims (which he shared his impressions with Khasis). By the way, the barrel from which Khalilov was killed was found in the same place, but it was not Tikhonov who fired.
The suspect Tikhonov confessed to the murder of Markelov and Baburova. And he confessed not once, but at least three times — in the presence of lawyers, forensic experts, under video recording and at witnesses. At the same time, his testimony, including checking it on the spot, coincides in the smallest detail with the objective picture of the crime: how he shot, and from where, and how he left.
None of the pressure (blackmail or beatings), which the defense is now so fond of talking about, at the trial, when a measure of restraint was chosen, was not announced by Tikhonov, Khasis, or their lawyers. As no one tried to challenge the lawfulness of the search and detention in court. PR on this score appeared much later, when it became obvious: there is evidence — and irrefutable. Yes, and the “bag” mask, around which a grandiose scandal was raised at one time, Tikhonov asked to put on himself …
There are several witnesses who saw the accused Tikhonov at the scene of the crime with a pistol in his hand (they identified him both in person and on video), there are witnesses who saw him at the Kropotkinskaya metro station and in exactly the outfit in which he was captured at least a dozen security cameras. There is a comparative photographic examination. There are clothes with traces of powder gases, confiscated from a witness — a journalist from one of the central Russian newspapers, who confirms that Tikhonov brought these clothes to him. There are, after all, the testimonies of former «comrades-in-arms», who — some to a greater, some to a lesser extent — confirm the version of the prosecution. One of them, the head of the legal nationalist organization «Russian Image», who was friends with Tikhonov, Ilya Goryachev, had either the mind or the courage to tell the investigation everything — under video recording and with his own hand. The meaning of his testimony: Tikhonov personally confessed during the quarrel that he had committed the murder.
Khasis was also seen near the crime scene — she, according to the investigation, stood for about an hour on Prechistenka waiting for Markelov, who was supposed to appear after the press conference, and when she saw him, she quickly walked along the opposite side of the street — this was the conditional signal: noticing the alleged accomplice — «beacon», the accused Tikhonov, according to the investigation, went out of the public garden towards the victims, walked past them, turned around, caught up and shot point-blank. There are videos on which, according to the examination, Khasis; there are witnesses who identified her. p> Investigative actions at the scene of the murder of Stas Markelov and Anastasia Baburova. Photo: RIA Novosti
Markelov was followed for a long time. And Anastasia Baburova, apparently, saw Tikhonov and his other accomplices back in November-December 2008, when preparations for the murder had just begun. She knew Baburova and Khasis — they came across fascist trials, where Nastya worked as a journalist, and the accused worked as an employee of the Russian Verdict organization, which provides material and legal assistance to Nazis accused of serious crimes. Lawyer Vasiliev closely cooperates with this organization, now a defender of Khasis, who previously sat in a number of “fascist” trials, including in the case of “white wolves” — the last trial of the murdered Moscow judge Chuvashov. The “Verdict” is headed by a certain Baranovsky, a witness who is somehow surprisingly familiar with the materials of the criminal case and constantly speaks in defense of Tikhonov and Khasis.
The lawyers and associates of the accused place particular emphasis on the fact that, according to their information, the investigation did not take into account versions other than theirs — the fascist one. The statement is surprising, if only because the defense side cannot be aware of this by definition. In fact, versions were worked out: both everyday and possible connection with the case of Budanov, and — Kadet-Lapin, and — with the processes in Chechnya, and — with the attempt on Mikhail Beketov, and even with those cases of Markelov, about which the general public in general nothing is known. But the fact that Tikhonov immediately came to the attention of the operatives is really not accidental.
The fates of the alleged executioner and the victim have already crossed once. According to witnesses, Nikita Tikhonov is a member of the brutal Nazi gang OB-88 (88 is the digital year for “Heil Hitler!”), which has a lot of blood on its account, including the murder of a Tajik, whose severed head was thrown to the administration building of one of the districts near Moscow . Several active members of this group were brought to justice in their time for the murder of the anti-fascist Ryukhin. But in those days, law enforcement agencies had not yet received a signal to imprison fascists for fascism. The investigation was conducted not only badly, but absolutely badly. And the arrested Shitov, Antsiferov and Reutsky managed to attract only for the «hooligan». The interests of the victims were represented in court by Stanislav Markelov. It was he who insisted on the reclassification of the case and demanded an active search for two escaped suspects: Tikhonov and Parinov.
Thanks to Markelov, Tikhonov and Parinov, who once worked with Khasis as a salesman in a sports store, were put on the wanted list.
p>
So Tikhonov found himself in an illegal position, which did not prevent him from living in Moscow and even traveling abroad. He, sensing danger, was going to leave there again — in early November 2009, but did not have time: he was arrested.
It is quite obvious that in addition to hatred for the «odious enemy of the Russian people» Markelov, who was known as a consistent anti-fascist, who did a lot to ensure that as many scumbags as possible appeared on the dock, Tikhonov (we assume that Khasis also) could have personal motives for reprisal.