It's a blow for relatives and rights groups who hoped that public scrutiny would yield new information about the killing.

Politkovskaya family lawyer Karinna Moskalenko said the Moscow District Military Court made the decision after jurors refused to enter the courtroom Wednesday because they feared media coverage would bring them wide public attention.

Russian juries are not anonymous and the courtroom was filled with print reporters, photographers and television cameras. Moskalenko said there had been no "real threats" against the 12 jurors _ who were seated a day earlier.