Review of Moscow bureau for human rights

Attacks 

During the period from January till December 29, 2009 218 attacks motivated by aggressive xenophobia were committed and 75 dead and 284 wounded at least were their results.

During similar period of 2008 128 people at least perished from the hands of militant national-radicals and 394 people at least were wounded, and in 2007 74 people at least perished and 317 at least were wounded.

The attacks were recorded in Moscow and Moscow region (33 dead, 131 wounded), St. Petersburg and Leningrad region (8 dead, 26 wounded), Chechnya (5 dead), Nizhniy Novgorod (5 dead, 44 wounded at least), Krasnodar region (4 dead, 3 wounded), Stavropol region (2 dead, 13 wounded at least), Samara region (2 dead, 8 wounded), Yaroslavl (2 dead, 2 wounded), Kaliningrad (1 dead, 2 wounded), Vladivostok (1 dead, 6 wounded), Blagoveshchensk (1 dead, 6 wounded), Daghestan, Chelyabinsk region, Ulyanovsk, Orel (1 dead, 1 wounded), Ingushetia, Lipetsk region, Ryazan, Novosibirsk region, Kemerovo, Kaluga region, Buryatia, Karachai-Cherkess (1 dead each), Vladimir region (7 wounded), Yekaterinburg (5 wounded), Naberezhniye Chelny, Irkutsk (4 wounded), Murmansk (3 wounded), Kabardino-Balkaria, Republic of Adygei, Saratov (2 wounded at least), Voronezh, Tambov, Syktyvkar, Volgograd, Kostroma, Novgorod region, Izhevsk, Petrozavodsk, Penza, Ufa, Kirov region, Kursk (1 wounded each). 

The victims of attacks include: Uzbeks (14 dead, 12 wounded), the Kirghiz (8 dead, 10 wounded), the Tajik (7 dead, 18 wounded), Russians (7 dead, 13 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, 4 wounded at least), Kabardinians (1 dead and 1 wounded), Georgians (1 dead, 2 wounded), the Ingush (1 dead, 1 wounded), Jews (6 wounded), Kazakhs (5 wounded), Nogays (4 wounded), Turkmens (3 wounded), Spaniards (3 wounded), Americans, Indians, Kalmyks, Bangladeshis, Buryats, Kurds, Latin Americans, Iraqis, Ossetians, the Swiss (1 wounded each). 

In December 5 attacks were recorded and 2 dead and 7 wounded were their results. The attacks were recorded in Moscow and Moscow region (1 dead and 6 wounded), Chelyabinsk region (1 dead) and Daghestan (1 wounded). According to their nationality, the victims of radicals include the Tajik (1 dead), Turkmens (3 wounded), Jews (2 wounded), the Ingush and Daghestanis (1 wounded). 

On December 3 a 22-year–old native of Tajikistan was killed in Moscow.

On November 20 a vagabond was beaten by skinheads in Kopeisk (Chelyabinsk region); he died on December 3.

On December 3 unknown people had beaten two citizens of Israel near the building of Jewish youth religious community Esh a-Torah in the center of Moscow.

Mass slaughter between Turkmens and the Ingush took place on the evening of December 12 in student hostel of Russian state university of tourism and service located in Cherkizovo settlement near Moscow (Pushkino district). As a result four people were wounded – one Ingush and three Turkmens.

On December 14 an attempt on the life of imam of one of local mosques Tayfur Eldarkhanov was committed in Khasavyurt. 
 

Vandalism 

During the period from January till December 29, 2009 148 cases of vandalism at least was recorded. 

In December 8 cases of vandalism took place. 

In Yeysk on December 4 and 14 attempts were made to destroy the memorial Eternal flame.

On the night of December 13-14 anti-Semites made an attempt to damage the big hanukkiya installed in the center of Smolensk but the pogrom-makers managed just to break the festive signboards and posters.

On December 16 the building of office of public prosecutor of Orlovsky district of Orel region incurred an attack. At night unknown persons threw four bottles with incendiary cocktail into the window of one of the offices.

On December 22 it became known that anti-Caucasian character graffiti were discovered in St. Petersburg on the walls of three houses.

On December 24 drawings of swastika and xenophobic inscription appeared on the façade and walls of front door of pre-revolutionary five-storey house in St. Petersburg. 
 

Public actions of nationalists 

On December 12 the nationalists conducted a motor race in Moscow along Leninsky avenue with DPNI flags and a meeting in Tyoply Stan district. 
 

Migrants and migrant-phobia 

On the International migrants day a plenary meeting of the conference “Urgent problems of contemporary migratory processes in Russia” took place in the Directorate of Federal Migratory Service (FMS) for Stavropol region.

As the chief of FMS Directorate for the region Alexander Boykov noted, contemporary migratory situation in our country is characterized by population inflow into the cities and large district centers. But the migrants are not met benevolently everywhere and always. Sometimes the migrants have to accept the discrimination, and they often become the victims of xenophobia and racism. And such an attitude is fundamentally incorrect as it is due to migrants to the great extent that positive demographic and production dynamics are observed in RF. As A. Boykov noted, decision regarding the size of quota for attraction of foreign manpower can’t be made without participation of local authorities as the main load of reception of foreign citizens is bourne by them.

Center of temporary staying of illegal migrants was opened near St. Petersburg on December 21 in the outskirts of Krasnoye Selo. The illegal migrants will stay there till solution of the problem of their banishment or deportation. The Center is intended for 180 persons.

On December 21 the general director of SUE “Mosgortrans” Pyotr Ivanov informed the journalists that the enterprise plans to decrease the quota for foreign employees by 20% in 2010.

On December 23 SC “Severstal” confirmed that it stops employing labor migrants from CIS republics to Kostomuksha ore-dressing and processing enterprise on the background of general reduction of the staff. This became the completion of a conflict that started in October when representatives of SOCPROF trade union promised to arrange the “second Pikalyovo”. The public prosecutor of the republic made a submission to the general director of “Severstal” Alexey Mordashov with demand to exclude the breaches of labor and social rights of citizens as well as to envisage the measures for prevention of social and political tension in SC “Karelsky okatysh”.

An attempt of “Just cause” party to play with migrant-phobic moods can be noted. On December 20 the “Just cause” became the organizer of a meeting against construction of wholesale market in Zhulebino. About 2000 people took part in the meeting. At the same time representatives of “Just cause” stated that the market construction and influx of natives of South-Eastern Asia would lead to the growth of xenophobic moods and social explosion. The meeting resolution asserted that workplaces at the markets are “occupied by organized network of Chinese-Vietnamese trade excluding Russian businessmen completely” and that the market construction leads to the growth of criminality and drug trade, infectious diseases and deterioration of environmental problems. 
 

Xenophobia in religious sphere 

It became known on December 24 that in Adygei Teuchezhsky district office of public prosecutor, together with operatives of the Center for counteraction to extremism of Ministry of home affairs for Republic of Adygei, conducted the inspection of activity of local religious organization of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” of Adygeisk town and announced 11 warnings to the founders and head of local religious organization of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” concerning inadmissibility of breaches of the RF Constitution and Federal law “On counteraction to extremist activity”.

Late in December the “Managerial center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia” addressed the investigatory committee under the Office of public prosecutor of RF with application about institution of criminal proceedings concerning the fact of committing of “actions aimed at incitement of hatred and hostility as well as at humiliation of dignity of a group of persons professing the Christian religion of the Jehovah’s Witnesses” in one of NTV programs. 
 

Response of authorities and public to xenophobia 

On December 11 in Kislovodsk the inter-regional meeting “Urgent problems of implementation of the state ethnic policy in the South of Russia” took place under the aegis of the ministry of regional development. It was participated by representatives of republics and regions of the Southern federal district.

The meeting participants provided their considerations concerning counteraction to extremism, use of mass media in propaganda of ethnic consent, told about the experience of harmonization of interethnic relations and prevention of xenophobia in the youth environment.

On December 22 the chairman of the committee on culture of St. Petersburg Anton Gubankov informed that in 2010 the “ABC of first time-St. Petersburg resident” would be published that would familiarize the migrants with the culture of behavior in the city.

On December 2 a round table took place in the department of finance of Tver region where the problems the representatives of most various peoples and nationalities of the region encounter were discussed. The meeting was participated by chairmen of Tver regional organization “Society of Tajik culture” Mukim Maibaliyev, of Jewish community in Tver region Igor Elgard, of Uzbek community in Tver region Abdul Turtuzov, deputy chairman of Tver regional administration on domestic policy Georgy Atayan, representative of press service of the governor of Tver region Yuri Isakov, head of center “Community” Lyudmila Gusarova, and journalists.

On December 3 the members of Federal council of “APPLE” party Ivan Bolshakov and Dmitry Ilyushin sent an application to the Office of general public prosecutor of RF with demand to conduct an inspection and institute criminal proceedings against representatives of the movement “Locals” concerning the fact of inciting hatred and humiliating human dignity by them basing upon nationality, origin and belonging to certain social group. 
 

Law-enforcement practice 

During the period from January till December 29, 2009 319 persons were convicted for crimes motivated by aggressive xenophobia. 2 persons were sentenced to 20-25-year imprisonment, 25 – to 10-20-year imprisonment, 51 – to 5-10-year imprisonment, 61 – to 1-5-year imprisonment, 10 – to imprisonment in colony-settlement, 29 – to correctional and public work, for 4 persons educational effect measures were set, 1 person was sentenced to two-days arrest, 83 – got suspended sentences, 37 – 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 96 persons were convicted during similar period, and in 2008 – 212 persons. During the period of December 1-27 28 persons were convicted for crimes motivated by xenophobia. Five persons were sentenced to 1-5-year imprisonment, three – to penalties, five – to 10-20-year imprisonment, one – to 5-10-year imprisonment, two – to imprisonment in colony-settlement, ten – got suspended sentences and one was sentenced to correctional work. 

On December 11 Chistopol city court sentenced 20-year-old student of local agricultural technical secondary school Ilgiz Gizyatullin to 4-month imprisonment in colony-settlement for dissemination of literature of “Hizb ut-Tahrir” organization.

On December 14 the decision of Pervomaisky district court of Kirov came into force about complying with application of Oktyabrsky district public prosecutor of Kirov about acknowledgement of the brochure “Russian Orthodox church and modern pre-Antichrist epoch. Religious concept of Russian Orthodox church” extremist. The brochure “Russian Orthodox church and modern pre-Antichrist epoch. Religious concept of Russian Orthodox church” contains the statements aimed at propaganda of superiority of Orthodox monarchy over other forms of state power, propaganda of inferiority of other religions, hidden appeals to actions directed at incitement of ethnic dissension.

On December 14 in Lyublinsky district court the guilty verdict was passed on the editor-in-chief of publishing house “Russian truth” Anatoly Bragin. He was sentenced to a penalty of 450 000 rubles for publication of anti-Semitic literature.

On December 14 the magistrate’s court of Ostrov (Pskov region) sentenced a man who desecrated the walls of the Savior-Kazan Simansky women’s monastery with xenophobic graffiti in August 2009 to 5-month imprisonment in colony-settlement.

On December 14 it became known that the office of public prosecutor of Moscow introduced a submission addressed to the prefect of North-Western administrative district (NWAD) of Moscow and chief of Directorate of home affairs of NWAD concerning removal of xenophobic information from “Mosgorspravka” stands located in the district, and also warnings were announced to the editor of “Izvestia” newspaper and general director of SC “YES” for publication of materials where the activity of a leader of prohibited religious association “Nurjular” was approved.

On December 15 the court of Central district of Khabarovsk, considering the sentence passed before, sentenced the press secretary of Khabarovsk branch of “Union of Russian people” Viktor Chulkin to 4-year imprisonment.

On December 15 Leninsky district court of Kursk passed a guilty verdict on 23-year-old resident of Kursk S. Budnikova – leader of local DPNI branch who disseminated a leaflet “Lezghinka on blood” in 2008. She got suspended sentence of 1-year imprisonment with 1-year period of probation.

On December 16 Novosibirsk regional court, basing upon the verdict of jury, passed a sentence on five skinheads who killed a 24-year-old native of Tajikistan in October 2008. The attack organizer A. Noskov was sentenced to 13-year imprisonment and the others got suspended sentences and ban for appearing in a drunken state in public places.

On December 17 Kalininsky district court of Chelyabinsk passed a sentence on members of youth group who committed several crimes motivated by ethnicity in 2008. Four of nationalists got suspended sentences of 14-50-month imprisonment.

On December 18 it became known that Timiryazevsky office of public prosecutor of Moscow demanded to respond to participation of a pupil of one of colleges in the North of Moscow in the sect of “Satanists” from the bodies of home affairs.

On December 21 Krasnoyarsk regional court found three teenagers who committed a ritual murder motivated by Satanism in March 2009 guilty. They were sentenced to 16-year, 10-year and 9,5-year imprisonment.

On December 22 it became known about passing of verdict on editor-in-chief of black-hundred newspaper “Russian Transbaikalia” Alexander Yaremenko. He got suspended sentence of 1-year imprisonment.

On December 23 it became known that after the submission of office of public prosecutor in Altay region the providers banned the access to extremist website of “Northern brotherhood”.

On December 24 Snezhinsky city court of Chelyabinsk region sentenced a head of laboratory in the academy to 120 hours of compulsory work for creation of an extremist blog on the Internet.

On December 23 it became known about institution of criminal proceedings against two residents of Vladivostok who were detained in June 2009 for dissemination of xenophobic character leaflets.

On December 23 it became known about investigation of a criminal case concerning a resident of Kirov city who placed swastika, hymn of the Third Reich and film clips about skinheads on his page in social network “Vkontakte”. 

Wrongful application of anti-extremist legislation also took place. Thus, office of public prosecutor of Samara region tried to achieve the inclusion of anti-fascist film by Pavel Bardin “Russia-88” into federal list of extremist materials through the court. On December 23 the court procedure concerning this had to take place in Samara but it was put off till January 14.

The film director Pavel Bardin called the implemented expert examination of the film “not very professional” in his interview to broadcasting station “Freedom”. “I know there are other expert examinations that acknowledged we did not propagate extremism at all as “Russia-88” is an artistic work using the statements of Nazis for repudiating, refuting, precipitating them etc”, he said.

On December 10 the directorate of home affairs of Novorossiysk issued a warning to human rights activist V. Karastelyov from Novorossiysk committee on human rights. It followed from the warning that attempts of human rights activist to pass to the hearings concerning the project of nature reserve “Big Utrish” could provoke the assembled citizens as well as those willing to take part in the hearings to the breach of public order” and are in particular the breach of the Federal Law “On counteraction to extremist activity”.