Review of Moscow bureau for human rights

Attacks 

During the period from January till November 30, 2009 212 attacks were committed, 68 people perished and 273 people at least were wounded. During similar period of 2008 118 people at least perished from the hands of militant national-radicals and 364 people at least were wounded, and in 2007 – 65 people at least perished and 300 at least were wounded. 

In his interview to the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets”, November 2, the chief of directorate on oversight over observance of laws on federal security, interethnic relations and counteraction to extremism of the Office of general public prosecutor of Russia Vyacheslav Sizov noted that 266 crimes of extremist orientation were recorded during first half year, and this is by 6% more than during similar period of previous year. 

The attacks were recorded in Moscow and Moscow region (32 dead, 125 wounded), St. Petersburg and Leningrad region (8 dead, 26 wounded), Chechnya (5 dead), Nizhniy Novgorod (5 dead, 44 wounded at least), Stavropol region (2 dead, 13 wounded at least), Samara region (2 dead, 7 wounded), Kaliningrad (1 dead, 2 wounded), Yaroslavl (1 dead, 2 wounded), Vladivostok (1 dead, 6 wounded), Blagoveshchensk (1 dead, 6 wounded), Ulyanovsk, Orel (1 dead, 1 wounded), Ingushetia, Lipetsk region, Ryazan, Novosibirsk region, Kemerovo, Kaluga region, Daghestan, Buryatia, Karachai-Cherkess (1 dead each), Vladimir region (7 wounded), Yekaterinburg (5 wounded), Naberezhniye Chelny (4 wounded), Murmansk (3 wounded), Kabardino-Balkaria, Republic of Adygei, Saratov (2 wounded at least), Voronezh, Tambov, Syktyvkar, Volgograd, Kostroma, Novgorod region, Izhevsk, Petrozavodsk, Chelyabinsk, Penza, Ufa, Kirov region, Kursk (1 wounded each). 

The victims of attacks include: Uzbeks (14 dead, 12 wounded), the Kirghiz (8 dead, 10 wounded), Russians (7 dead, 11 wounded), the Tajik (6 dead, 18 wounded), Azerbaijanis (5 dead, 15 wounded), Armenians (3 dead, 15 wounded), Daghestanis (3 dead, 4 wounded), the Vietnamese (3 dead), the Chinese (2 dead, 8 wounded), natives of Africa (1 dead, 19 wounded), Koreans (1 dead, 3 wounded), Chechens (1 dead, 3 wounded at least), Kabardinians (1 dead and 1 wounded), Georgians (1 dead, 2 wounded), the Ingush (1 dead), Kazakhs (5 wounded), Jews, Nogays (4 wounded each), Spaniards (3 wounded), Americans, Indians, Kalmyks, Bangladeshis, Buryats, Kurds, Latin Americans, Iraqis, Ossetians, the Swiss (1 wounded each).  

During the period of November 1-30 MBHR recorded 10 attacks motivated by xenophobia, 3 dead and 9 wounded. The incidents took place in Moscow and Moscow region (3 dead, 3 wounded), Saratov (2 wounded), St. Petersburg, Naberezhniye Chelny, Nizhniy Novgorod and Ulyanovsk (1 wounded each). 

On November 4 a citizen of Switzerland was beaten in Moscow.

On November 4 in Nizhniy Novgorod unknown malefactors had beaten a gastarbeiter from Korea.

On the evening of November 4 in Ulyanovsk near trade center “Versailles” a slaughter motivated by ethnic hatred took place. Probably the representatives of one of nationalistic organizations of the city were the instigators of the conflict.

On November 7 Saratov nationalists attacked the headquarters of the organization “Anti-crisis people’s resistance”. Two representatives of the Union of Communist youth who stood in the street were beaten.

Early in November in Naberezhniye Chelny an attack on three students-Tajiks was committed.

On November 8 a citizen of Kyrghyzstan was killed near Rybkhoz settlement (Ramensky district of Moscow region).

On the night of November 12-13 in Lyubertsy an armed attack on a citizen of Armenia was committed.

On November 16 in Moscow 26-year-old anti-fascist Ivan Khutorskoy was killed at the entrance of his own house.

On November 19 in Moscow in Apostle Thomas temple its dean father Daniil Sysoyev was killed and its precentor V. Strelbitsky was wounded. Religious xenophobia became the dominating version of the murder as both Islamists (D. Sysoyev informed about recent similar threat in his blog on October 9) and radical neo-pagans threatened D. Sysoyev more than once.

On the night of November 22 in St. Petersburg an attack on a student-Chinese was committed. 

The nationalists tried to use the murder of D. Sysoyev and explosion of the train “Nevsky express” on November 28 with their own propagandist purposes. In first case they were aspiring to put the blame for the murder on “Moslems” unequivocally. Thus, it is noted in one of radical blogs: “The Moslems understood the message of the President Medvedev unambiguously – as the financing of republics where people are killed and exploded is increased abruptly then it is necessary to explode and kill more”. K. Krylov stated demagogically that “Islamists, unlike humiliated and threatened Russian people whom it’s easy and pleasant to denounce, are not accustomed to enduring the offences”. 

Several nationalistic activists hurried to state that special services did not manage to prevent the murder of D. Sysoyev as they were busy persecuting “peaceful” Russian nationalists. Member of the Union of Russian people D. Savvin published an article on website of “APN-SPb” on November 20 where he “was proving” that D. Sysoyev’s death was advantageous for Islamic radicals, Kremlin and liberal-non-Russian community and demanded “to strive for immediate investigatory inspection of all the Islamic structures, in Moscow at least, that could be involved into this crime even indirectly”. 

However the real attitude of nationalists towards D. Sysoyev can be understood from the record in K. Krylov’s blog dated November 20 where he announced D. Sysoyev the bearer of “anti-Russian views” the contemporary Russian society is infected with and accused him of the fact he “permanently humiliated” the ethnic feelings of nationalists. The same text was published by K. Krylov on November 20 on website “Russian image”. 

DPNI leader A. Belov (Potkin) accused the Chechens of explosion of the train “Nevsky express”. According to him, the explosion took place during celebration of the Kurban Bairam that requires sacrifices. 

On November 8 the radical A. Baranovsky published the laudatory text in his blog addressed to N. Tikhonov arrested on suspicion of the murder of S. Markelov and A. Baburova. He proclaimed Tikhonov the “Russian hero”. 

One of DPNI leaders V. Kralin stated on November 13 in his blog that the current xenophobia level “is a result of mass non-Russian invasion into traditionally Russian territory. And nothing can be done to this if this invasion is not stopped”. 

The responsibility for the murder of I. Khutorskoy on November 21 was taken by notorious “Militant organization of Russian nationalists” that already took responsibility for various crimes upon itself earlier. The appeal also included the threat towards all the enemies of nationalists: “street antifa-hooligans, outrageous migrants, journalists-Russophobes, chastisers with shoulder straps and mantles – all the enemies of Russian movement and Russian nation will suffer the punishment they deserve”. 

In his interview to the agency “New region” on November 23 the leader of “Slavic union” D. Dyomushkin accused the special services of “blocking all the possible spheres of activity for legal nationalism”.

On November 24 and 29 the statements of a group combat18-Nevograd were published – this is a subdivision of famous ultra-right organization that took responsibility for imitation of explosive device discovered in St. Petersburg underground and explosion of “Nevsky express” upon itself. 
 

Vandalism 

During the period from January till November 30, 2009 134 cases of vandalism at least were recorded in RF. During the period of November 1-30 eight cases of vandalism were recorded. 

On November 3 a monument of memorial cemetery was desecrated at Vasilyevsky island in St. Petersburg. Unknown criminals drew a fascist swastika and figures “88” on two memorial plates and monument to fallen submariners with red paint.

On November 3 a fact of vandalism was recorded again at the old Jewish cemetery in Petrozavodsk. Unknown persons damaged the memorial sign “Menorah”.

On November 16 in St. Petersburg an imitation of explosive device was discovered in the electric train coach at the underground station “Parnas”. It was a plastic bag with picture of swastika. It contained domestic detergent wrapped into polyethylene film with electronic clock and wire attached to it.

On November 19 it became known that a drawn swastika was available at the fronts of one of the shops in Zelenograd for 10 days at least.

Inscriptions being abusive for Moslems appeared on the night of November 22 on the mosque in Kirov.

On November 23 it became known about desecration of a founding stone on the place of mass execution of Jews by Nazis in Volgograd.

On November 26 in Orekhovo-Zuyevo near Moscow drawings of inverted crosses and inscriptions ANTIHRIST appeared. 
 

Dissemination of xenophobic views 

According to VTsIOM interrogation conducted on September 28-29 the results of which were presented on November 2, half of Muscovites estimated interethnic relations in Moscow negatively: 36% considered them tense, 15% - conflict ones. 45% thought the relations between representatives of various nationalities in Moscow were normal: 10% considered them friendly and 35% - tranquil in general. While most part of respondents residing in Moscow for less than 10 years estimated interethnic relations as tranquil and friendly (55%), the native Muscovites were inclined to estimate them as tense or even conflict (53%). 

In the opinion of the capital residents, the principal measure capable to prevent the growth of interethnic tension and conflicts between native population and migrants in Moscow is the restriction of inflow of unskilled labor and toughening of order of their entry and registration (67%). The second place is occupied by toughening of punishment for propaganda of ideas inciting interethnic dissension (32%), the third place – by prevention of concentrated residence of migrants in some districts of the capital (22%). 18% consider it necessary to prohibit the activity of extremist organizations, 11% stand for creation of places of concentrated residence of migrants, by 10% - for improvement of living conditions of migrants and for tough suppression of unauthorized street actions. Legalization and increase of legal protection of migrants received the least support of the capital residents. 

Views of native Muscovites and those residing in the capital for 10 years at the most differ concerning the way of solving the problem of interethnic relations in the city. Thus, native Muscovites stand for restriction of inflow of foreign manpower to Moscow more often (70%). Respondents residing in the capital for less than 10 years are more inclined to support such measures as toughening of punishment for incitement of interethnic dissension (49%), prohibition of activity of extremist organizations (24%), creation of places for concentrated residence of migrants (16%) and their legalization (10%). 
 

Religious xenophobia 

On November 11 the leaders of three national-patriotic organizations of Syktyvkar (“Border of the North”, “Slavic union” and DPNI) started the collection of signatures under an appeal to the leaders of the party “United Russia” where they requested to prohibit the building of a mosque in the Komi capital. 

In November 2009 it was found out that the office of public prosecutor of Stavropol region refused to examine essentially the complaint of parents whose children were expelled from kindergarten as long ago as in March 2009 for profession of the faith of Pentecostals, and the management of the kindergarten disseminated the materials naming the Pentecostals the “totalitarian sect”. 
 

Migrants and migrant-phobia 

According to the studies of Institute of sociology of RAS within the project “Immigrants in Russia: social dimension” the results of which were presented early in November, two thirds of respondents think there are “two many” or “many” migrants in their human settlement. Those unwilling to have a common family of newcomers from Transcaucasia to be settled next door to them are 47% of the interrogated, to have a family of migrants from Middle Asia – 46% of respondents, of newcomers from South-Eastern Asia (from China, Vietnam, Korea) – 50% of the interrogated. The share of those who would treat the neighbors that came from Caucasus, Middle Asia and South-Eastern Asia with sympathy and interest is fluctuating within 9-11%. 48% of respondents are unwilling to see the natives of the North Caucasus among their neighbors. 45% of the interrogated supported the point of view that Russia needed neither immigrants nor labor migrants. 17% of the interrogated said that “the country needs both”. 19% of the interrogated thought that “the country needs only those migrants who want to stay here for living forever”, 19% else – that “the country needs only those migrants who come here to make money and are not going to live here permanently” At the same time 54% would support a ban to accept migrants for permanent residence in their human settlement, and 48% - a ban for temporary residence. At the same time 2% supported the violence of skinheads towards non-Russians, 71% did not approve it categorically and 9% else “rather did not approve”. 

On the other hand, interrogation among the employers who employed labor migrants showed that main advantage of migrants in comparison with local employees in the opinion of respondents is the cheapness of their labor – 87% of the interrogated noted this. The employers also noted that migrants “are ready to work as much as necessary” (30%), “it’s easier and quicker to find them” (28%), “they are more disciplined” (21%), 17% else said that local employees do not undertake such work. 

The advantage of migrants is the price of work (87% of the interrogated), time of doing their work (82%), quality (75%), honesty, decency of employees (79%), their diligence, obliging work, reliability (73%). No surprise that most of the interrogated were content in general with the work of migrants (just 17% of respondents were not content with it and 23% else – “content to some extent and to some extent not”). Skill and work experience of labor migrants suited 65% of respondents, and their knowledge of Russian suited 68%. 

The question “What do you think, how often the nationality of people becomes the reason for unfair attitude towards them?” was responded “often” or “very often” by a half of the interrogated, “sometimes”, “seldom” – by 38% and just 4% said “never”. 

The mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov brought up the subject of high level of criminality on the part of migrants again at the city-wide meeting “On the results of work for prevention of delinquencies in residential sector of Moscow in 2009” that took place on November 26. “Unfortunately the laws permit these people coming to Moscow, hanging about for three months in the city and being involved into nobody knows what – but we know what they are involved into!”, the mayor stated. 
 

Xenophobic publications in mass media 

On November 6 the Internet-newspaper “Look” published an article by K. Benediktov “Nationalism as a response” that asserted that Moscow is a “patchwork quilt sewed up of the spheres of influence of Caucasian and Middle-Asian diasporas” and reproduced a number of migrant-phobic stock phrases. The author called upon the authority to “treating the nationalistic forces as equal partner” threatening that otherwise “archaic” would devour Russia. 

On November 14 the portal “Moscow is the third Rome” placed the “Appeal to Russian people, officers of the army and navy, to Cossacks, Russian youth and Orthodox clergy”. The appeal contained several anti-Semitic stock phrases, starting from a name “Jewish Nazis” and finishing with accusations of ritual murders, denial of Holocaust etc. The officers were called to elimination of activists of Jewish and human rights organizations, of “the Jewish top of captured government bodies and mass media”. “Act so that the Jewish Nazis would be afraid to walk on our land”, the appeal authors called upon. 
 

Response of authorities to xenophobia 

In his annual message announced on November 12 the President of RF D. Medvedev dwelt on the necessity of upbringing of tolerance in the North Caucasus. “The North Caucasus is a region where people of many nationalities reside historically. And systematic work in the family and at school, on local and regional levels is especially important today for forming of good interethnic relations and ripe civil society. This is especially important for upbringing of coming generation. I think that young people of various nationalities and religions should have a possibility both for joint learning and for joint rest. So I support the idea of creating all-Caucasian youth camp where lads from various republics would study, make contacts and rest. We had chosen our way ourselves, our fathers and grandfathers had won then. Now we must win”, he said. 

At the meeting of the Council on support of development of civil society institutions and human rights that took place on November 23, the head of the Council E. Pamfilova noted that this year the effect of activation of persecution of Russian groups committing violent crimes motivated by racism is notable for the first time. “This is a merit of MVD department on counteraction to extremism to a great extent. But unfortunately this effect is seen only in Moscow yet. Of course it is necessary to disseminate it in the regions. It’s also important here that the legislative definition of extremist activity should be focused on its most dangerous forms. It is understood very widely, and this often leads to illegitimate restrictions of civil freedoms, especially the freedom of expression”, she stressed. E. Pamfilova also dwelt upon the problem of groundless law-enforcement practice in the cases on accusation of incitement of social dissension. 

On November 26 the meeting of the President of RF Dmitry Medvedev and the minister of foreign affairs Sergey Lavrov took place with delegation of the Jewish community of Russia headed by the chief rabbi Berl Lazar and president of Federation of Jewish communities of Russia Alexander Boroda. The meeting was also attended by representatives of European Jewish congress. During the conversation with the president, the problems of combat against anti-Semitism and xenophobia in the world were touched upon as well as the problem of development of inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue in Russia and in Europe. Analyzing the situation with anti-Semitism in Russia, D. Medvedev noted that “the situation with anti-Semitism became much better indeed in our country. Of course I would not idealize it. But it should be noted that anti-Semitism became just indecent in political environment. None of reasonable politicians would make such statements compromising themselves in such a way”. 

On November 24 a meeting of the Minister of foreign affairs of Russian Federation S. Lavrov with delegation of the European Jewish congress headed by V. Kantor took place. During the meeting the international activities were discussed in detail to be conducted in 2010 in connection with 65th 
anniversary of the Victory. Special attention was paid to counteraction to the attempts of revision of history and results of the World War II. The interest of the parts in increase of interaction in this sphere was noted. It was stressed that combat against race discrimination, xenophobia and various forms of intolerance associated with them including anti-Semitism was and still is one of priorities of home and foreign policy of Russian Federation.

On November 2 in his interview to the newspaper “Moskovsky komsomolets” the chief of directorate on oversight over observance of laws on federal security, interethnic relations and counteraction to extremism of the Office of general public prosecutor of Russia Vyacheslav Sizov stated that a complex approach towards the problems of counteraction to extremism and terrorism in the youth environment lacks on the state level in Russia. “In this connection we made a submission to the minister of sports, tourism and youth policy of Russian Federation. In general it looks most appropriate for complex solution of these problems to prepare and adopt the corresponding state program”, he said. V. Sizov also stressed that a developed network of religious educational institutions being the champions of ideas of traditional Islam should become an efficient measure against dissemination of radical forms of Islam like Wahabism in Russia. 

Early in November All-Russian meeting of representatives of executive bodies of the subjects of Russian Federation on the problems of implementation of the state ethnic policy and ethno-cultural development of the regions of Russia took place in Moscow being the first one since 2006. The meeting participants agreed on the necessity of regular inter-regional meetings, and the soonest of them would take place in this December in the South of Russia; they also reached the agreement about methodic and informational accompaniment of implementation of the state ethnic policy, about access to the open data of results of sociological studies conducted by the Ministry of regional development, about joint conduction of complex informational campaign aimed at strengthening of all-Russian identity and harmonization of interethnic relations. 
 

Law-enforcement practice 

During the period from January till November 30, 2009 292 people were convicted for crimes motivated by aggressive xenophobia. 2 persons were sentenced to 20-25-year imprisonment, 20 – to 10-20-year imprisonment, 51 – to 5-10-year imprisonment, 57 – to 1-5-year imprisonment, 8 – to imprisonment in colony-settlement, 28 – to correctional and public work, for 4 – educational effect measures were set, 1 – was sentenced to 2-day arrest, 73 - got suspended sentences, 34 – were sentenced to penalties, 3 – were sent for compulsory treatment, 3 - were released from liability due to expiration of statute of limitation and against one person the case was terminated due to his repentance. 4 else of the accused were found not guilty completely. In 2007 84 people were convicted during similar period, in 2008 – 182 persons.