Hundreds of opposition activists and human rights defenders have rallied on a rainy day in central Moscow to honor journalist Anna Politkovskaya. It has been a year since the fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin was murdered and the activists didn’t get together just to commemorate her death, they appealed for fair elections, just like Politkovskaya would have done.

The honored Russian journalist earned international praise for her opposition to the Chechen conflict as well as for the reporting of human rights abuses in the war-torn country.

Politkovskaya was murdered in a contract-style shooting just in front of her apartment on October 7, 2006. In the meantime, her death has become a symbol for the lack of civil liberties and safety of those who dear to criticize President Putin’s rule.

Approximately 2000 people gathered with carnations and photos of the dead journalist in Pushkinskaya Square, where police security was very tight, but there were no reports of disorder. The commemoration rally sponsored by the opposition party led by former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, coincided with official celebrations at the Kremlin marking President Putin's 55th birthday.

An estimated 10,000 people attended a Moscow outdoor party organized by a pro-Kremlin youth movement to celebrate Mr. Putin's birthday.

There were 800 policemen deployed, while the city hall had granted permission for a maximum 500 to attend the march, Kasyanov's Spokeswoman Tatyana Razbash said.

Novaya Gazeta, Politkovskaya’s news paper will reactivate her cell phone number hoping to revive the calls about official wrongdoing.

"This number stopped answering on October 7 last year," the news paper former editor and chief Dimitry Muratov said in front of the protesters.

"On this number, people called her to set up meetings during which she was given extremely important information on corruption in the Russian Federation."

Former Prime Minister Kasyanov took the opportunity to thank those present at the rally for the commemoration of Politkovskaya’s "political assassination" and compared her with other "society high morale authorities" like Soviet rights campaigner Andrei Sakharov and veteran activist Lyudmila Alexeyevna.

The 79-year-old Alexeyevna, head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, also spoke to the activists on Sunday saying that Politkovskaya fought against "lawlessness and violence" and her murder came to confirm that she was speaking the truth.

After the speeches, the crowd chanted "Russia without Putin" while waiving signs reading "336 days without Politkovskaya" and "No to political censure." Then the crowd moved up Lisnaya Street and placed flowers in front of Politkovskaya’s apartment.

Earlier, Garry Kasparov, former world chess champion and current presidential candidate for The Other Russia party, had lid a candle in front of the home where Politkovskaya lived and was killed.

On Saturday, the Russian police detained five foreign activists who had come to participate at the march. The human rights militants - three Spaniards, a Briton and a German - said they were detained for violating their immigration status.

"The Times" of London newspaper printed on Saturday amid it articles a letter signed by approximately 60 celebrities and dignitaries calling on Russian authorities to bring Politkovskaya’s murderer into justice.