Last week the local Polish newspaper Dziennik Polski published an interview with Jadwiga Rogoza from the Eastern Studies Centre, who spoke about the problem of judicial independence in Russia’s legal system as showcased by the current trial of Anna Politkovskaya’s killers. According to her, Russian courts are not independent as they take the Kremlin’s opinions into consideration when passing their decisions, and that this lack of independence damages the country’s image and risks criticism from the West. Below is an exclusive translation, the original source can be read here.

Russian courts are not independent

Interview with JADWIGA ROGOŻA from the Centre for Eastern Studies

Why did the court in Moscow decided to close Anna Politkovskaya’s murderers’ trial to public?

Trial was closed on jurors request. We can only speculate on the true reasons behind that decision. In my opinion the decision was taken under the pressure of the authorities, who are reluctant to publicise new developments on the case. It seems strange, as Russian public isn’t interested in Politkovskaya’s case. All the authorities get from closing doors on the trial is more criticism from opposition and the West.