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Human rights lawyer, journalist killed in Russia

  • Story Highlights
  • Lawyer was known for his work on abuses by the Russian military in Chechnya
  • Gunman also shot journalist from newspaper when she tried to intervene
  • Attorney had opposed release of man convicted of strangling Chechen girl
  • Chechnya is an autonomous Russian republic
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MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- A masked man shot and killed on Monday a Russian human rights lawyer known for his work on abuses by the Russian military in the breakaway region of Chechnya, Russian media reported.

The gunman also shot Anastasia Baburova, a journalist from Russia's Novaya Gazeta newspaper, when she tried to intervene. Baburova died later in a hospital.

Attorney Stanislav Markelov held a press conference earlier in the day opposing the early release of Col. Yury Budanov, who had been convicted of strangling a Chechen teenage girl. Budanov was released after serving only half his jail term.

Chechnya is an autonomous Russian republic. Rebels seeking independence there have long been fighting Russia.

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