A model of a planned monument to the journalist has been placed in a park near her home, along with a small table, where those attending the meeting laid flowers. Some carried portraits of Politkovskaya and slogans reading "Bring murderers and their bosses to justice!" "Freedom of speech, not murderers!" and "We demand an open trial of the murderers!"
The head of the Russian journalists' union, Vsevolod Bogdanov, said 300 people engaging in investigative journalism have been killed in the past 15 years.
"We will insist investigations [into their deaths] be completed," Bogdanov said.
According to data from the international organization Reporters Without Borders, between 2000 and 2007 21 journalists were murdered in Russia, which remains one of the world's most dangerous countries for reporters.
An opposition leader and former world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, also urged the truth about Politkovskaya's killing.
She "was an honest, courageous and free person and taught others to be honest, courageous and free," Kasparov said. "We must demand the truth about the crime to be exposed."
Politkovskaya, who wrote for Novaya Gazeta, gained international recognition for her criticism of the Kremlin and her reports of military atrocities against civilians in the troubled Caucasus republic of Chechnya.
A criminal case on the killing was passed to the court earlier this month. Three men have been charged with involvement in the murder, but the man suspected of pulling the trigger remains at large, and it is still unknown who was behind the killing.
