Review of Moscow bureau for human rights 

Attacks 

From the year beginning till mid-May 2010 MBHR monitoring recorded 70 attacks motivated by aggressive xenophobia, and 16 dead and 80 wounded were their results. 

The incidents took place in the following regions: Moscow and Moscow region (8 dead, 31 wounded), Nizhniy Novgorod region (2 dead, 3 wounded), Altay region (1 dead, 3 wounded at least), Vladivostok, Yaroslavl region (1 dead, 1 wounded), Kaliningrad region, Karachai-Cherkess and Daghestan (1 dead each), St. Petersburg and Leningrad region (15 wounded), Kabardino-Balkaria (6 wounded), Tomsk region (4 wounded), Penza (2 wounded), Orel (2 wounded), Ryazan (2 wounded), Kostroma (2 wounded), Irkutsk (1 wounded), Izhevsk (1 wounded), Murmansk region (1 wounded), Samara region (1 wounded), Saratov region (1 wounded), Sverdlovsk region (1 wounded), Udmurtia (1 wounded), Ulyanovsk region (1 wounded). 

The objects of attacks included: the Kirghiz (2 dead, 4 wounded), Koreans (1 dead, 3 wounded), Russians (1 dead, 67 wounded), Uzbeks (1 dead, 7 wounded), Abkhazians (1 dead, 2 wounded), Kalmyks (1 dead, 1 wounded), Circassians (1 dead), Tajiks (11 wounded), natives of Africa (3 wounded), Azerbaijanis (3 wounded), the Vietnamese (2 wounded), the Chinese (2 wounded), Armenians (2 wounded), Buryats (1 wounded), Germans (1 wounded), Tuvinians (1 wounded), Jews (1 wounded), Mexicans (1 wounded), Tatars (1 wounded), Arabs (1 wounded). 

During similar period of 2009 26 dead and 80 wounded were recorded, in 2008 – 72 dead, 137 wounded. 

From May 1 till May 15 5 attacks and scuffles motivated by aggressive xenophobia were recorded and 10 wounded were their results – 6 in Moscow, 2 in St. Petersburg, 2 in Nizhniy Novgorod. 

On May 1 the participants of nationalists’ meeting in Moscow committed an attack on antifascists, 3 wounded were the result of this. 

On May 1 in Vishnyovka settlement of Pallasovsky district, Volgograd region, a mass scuffle between Kazakhs and Chechens took place; more than 20 young people were its participants. 20 persons from among local residents were detained. 

On May 1 it became known about dissemination of bank notes with inscription “Allah Akbar, death to the Russians” in Moscow. 

On May 4 in Moscow underground several teenagers have beaten a newcomer and stabbed him with a knife, then they have beaten two Muscovites who decided to stand up for the beaten man. 

On May 5 in St. Petersburg unknown persons threw a grenade into the halyal products shop. As a result two persons were wounded – a man who got shrapnel wound of his leg and a woman. 

During first decade of May in Nizhniy Novgorod two citizens of Kyrghyzstan were beaten. 

On the night of May 1-2 in Pugachev city (Saratov region) a scuffle took place participated by the Chechens. One of them perished. An everyday scuffle was immediately put into the rank of an interethnic conflict by local nationalists. It was stated that behavior of Chechen refugees was allegedly rousing indignation of local residents for a long time and insulted them, that the Chechens “threw aside all restraint, decided to prove that everyone is a second-grade man except them and killed the Russian for everybody’s edification”. “This misfortune would seemingly knock into every Russian house and every Russian city soon. If everything is not settled at once, it would be even worse. So everyone who is not indifferent is invited to support his compatriots”, one of radicals’ appeals told.

However the authorities responded operatively enough. Already in the morning of May 2 a special militia detachment from neighboring Balakovo city was redeployed to Pugachev. Native of Chechnya B. Mudayev who committed a murder was detained. The representatives of the regional committee of public relations and ethnic policy headed by the minister of this department – S.K. Avezniyazov - came operatively to the incident place as well as representatives of the public including leaders of regional Chechen community. As a result the conflict was contained. 
 

Vandalism 

Totally during January – first half May, 2010 54 cases of vandalism were recorded including 5 – during first half May. 

Early in May it became known that unknown malefactors had knocked down the granite stele with crescent that was installed last autumn on the place of extinct village Kashagal (Yurty Kashegalsky) in Yalutorovsky district of Tyumen region. Besides, early in May in Tyumen near trade center “Central” unknown hooligans have broken a banner inviting to visit café “Halyal” located at the ground floor of the trade center. 

On May 5 it became known about discovery of swastika in Ulan-Ude not far from the monument “Hospital Buryatia”. 
 

Popularity of xenophobic views 

According to interrogation of research agency “Bashkirov and partners” published on May 13, 66% of Russians disagree to live side-by-side with homosexuals, more than 60% - with the Gypsies, 40% - side-by-side with labor migrants, 31% - side-by-side with Moslems; and also side-by-side with the Jews and representatives of other nationalities – 25% each. On the other hand, 40% did not want to have left and right radicals as their neighbors and 11% did not want to live side-by-side with Christians.

According to the data published on May 6, 40-46% of residents of Murmansk share the xenophobic views to various extents. 
 

Public actions of nationalists 

On May 1 so-called “Russian march of labor” arranged by nationalists took place in some regions. In Moscow the action was participated by representatives of DPNI, ROD, NPF “Memory”, “Slavic force” (probably a new version of banned “Slavic union”). Also the followers of colonel Kvachkov took part in the march as well as national-autonomes who walked with a slogan “Will of blood is an appeal to action”. 

Procession of nationalists was accompanied by music and shouted slogans: “Peace-labor-May, gastarbeiter go away!”, “Glory to Russia!” and “Well, fuck away from here, Russia is for the Russians, Moscow is for the Muscovites!”. The procession coordinators taught the junior party members how they should “make sieg” – Roman salutation not with the whole palm but with two stretched-out fingers so that this would not resemble the fascist gesture. The procession participants carried the slogans “Labor, nation, freedom!”, “Glory to Russia!”, “Fewer migrants – bigger salary!”, “No to political repressions!”, “Russia is the Russian land”, “Russian order on Russian land”. An enormous cloth of imperial flag was unrolled in front of the first column. The procession passed under imperial flags and flags of participating organizations. 

Representative of NPF “Memory” Georgy Borovikov, V. Kralin, nationalist K. Krylov, leader of movement “Parabellum” Yuri Yekishev, leader of people’s volunteer corps colonel Vladimir Kvachkov spoke at the meeting. 

The demands stated in draft resolution of the meeting included: “to stop uncontrolled pouring of money into economy of Caucasian republics, to introduce the state of emergency in North-Caucasian region and take efficient measures for liquidation of terroristic underground”, to cancel clauses 280 and 282 of the CC, to introduce visa regime with the countries of Transcaucasia and Middle Asia as well as to stop what was called “simplified distribution of Russian citizenship”. 

In St. Petersburg the procession was participated by members of DPNI, “Army of people’s will” and “Russian imperial movement”. 200 people at the most took part in procession shouting: “Nation! Labor! Solidarity!”, ‘Fewer immigrants – higher salary!”, “Let’s preserve Russia Russian!”, “Serbia yesterday, Russia today!”, “Freedom to political prisoners!”, “St. Petersburg is the Russian city!”, “End to occupation! Freedom to Russian nation!”, “This is our city! Our country! Russian order or war!”, “Power to Russian nationalists!”, “Migrants today, occupants tomorrow!, “Immigrants are an excess mouth! People will do without them!”. 

In Kirov (about 100 participants) DPNI members most part of which hid their faces chanted: “Russia for the Russians”, “Russian people are people of labor, we don’t need parasites here!” and “Peace, labor, May! Gastarbeiter, go away!”. 

In Ulyanovsk about 10 DPNI members took part in the procession shouting slogans: “Russian order to Russia!”, “282 is a shame of Russia!”, “Peace, labor, May! Gastarbeiter, go away!”, “Kadyrov – to the prison!”, “Freedom to political prisoners!”, “Immigrant today, occupant tomorrow!”. 

DPNI members took part in May-Day demonstration in Tambov. 

In Krasnoyarsk about 20 people took part in the procession. In Vologda 5 DPNI members took part in specially arranged cleaning day. 

In Syktyvkar the meeting at the central square (20-30 participants) was arranged by representatives of local nationalistic organization “Border of the North”. 

In some cities the processions were hampered. In Kursk before the demonstration start coordinator of regional DPNI branch, leader of regional DPNI public relations center and some followers of the movement were detained with attributes and visual agitation materials under the pretext of identification of the persons. In Slavyansk-on-Kuban (Krasnodar region) detention of DPNI members took place when they came to unauthorized May-Day demonstration with slogans: “282 is a shame of Russia” and “Russian, help the Russian!”. 

In Nizhniy Novgorod after the nationalists’ meeting participated by 80 people at the most 20 DPNI members were detained. In Perm 25 DPNI members were detained during formation of columns. 

On May 5 in Revda city (Sverdlovsk region) local resident waved a flag with Nazi symbols at his balcony. 

On May 9 the leaders of DPNI, Army of People’s Will (AVN) actively used this date for xenophobic propaganda. On DPNI website the articles were published “proving” that exclusively Russians won a victory over fascism. One of stickers disseminated by DPNI on May 9 stated: “Our grandfathers drove the occupants away then. And shall we drive the occupants away now?”. Side-by-side with public actions of Communists radical editions and leaflets were disseminated and migrant-phobic banners were displayed. 

On May 12 representatives of ROD organization and DPNI held the pickets in Moscow, Novosibirsk and Krasnodar in support of major N. Leviy tried for beating of soldiers-Daghestanis. In Novosibirsk the meeting that assembled several dozen people was supported by regional LDPR branch as well as by New-Turkestan Cossack Line. During the activities stickers were distributed “Caucasian older conscripts in the army – to account!”. 
 

Response of authorities to xenophobia 

The President of RF D. Medvedev stated in his interview to newspaper “Izvestia” on May 7: “In Europe, in many countries rehabilitation of fascists takes place. Some monsters are available even in our country trying to use Nazi symbols and to execute various assemblages with such slogans”. 

On May 5 the Committee on press and cooperation with mass media of St. Petersburg announced the holding of second contest for the right to get grants in 2010 for production and placement of social advertisement. Its directions include “Harmonization of interethnic relations and formation of tolerant consciousness in the field of interethnic relations”. 
 

Law-enforcement practice 

During the period from January till May 15, 2010 147 persons were convicted for crimes motivated by aggressive xenophobia. 15 persons were sentenced to correctional or compulsory work, 59 – got suspended sentences, 13 persons were sentenced to fines, 20 – to 1-5-year imprisonment, 22 – to 5-10-year imprisonment, 4 – to 10-15-year imprisonment, 4 – to 15-20-year imprisonment, 4 – to 20-25-year imprisonment. Five persons were released from punishment due to expiration of statute of limitation. 

During similar period of 2009 95 persons were convicted for crimes motivated by aggressive xenophobia, in 2008 – 57. 

During first-half May 11 persons were convicted. Among these 8 persons got suspended sentences, two were sentenced to compulsory work and one – to 5-10-year imprisonment. 

On May 6 the jury found three skinheads who killed the citizen of Uzbekistan G. Dyu in May 2009 in Balakhna guilty unanimously. 

On May 7 it became known about conviction of 19-year-old resident of Kovrov Alexander Kulkov accused of placement of the extremist content inscriptions on apartment houses. The court sentenced Alexander Kulkov to 120 hours of compulsory work. 

On May 11 Blagoveshchensk city court sentenced 23-year-old Kirill Arnautov who killed a Chinese to 8-year imprisonment in strict regime colony. 

On May 11 the sentence of justice of the peace of Leninsky district of Yekaterinburg came into legal effect; it concerned 23-year-old Dmitry Kalimulin who was convicted for beating of taxi driver-Azerbaijani. He was sentenced to 190 hours of compulsory work. 

On May 11 the court of Oktyabrsky district of Novosibirsk passed a sentence on disseminator of anti-Semitic leaflets. 37-year-old unemployed person Boris Zhendorenko got suspended sentence. 

On May 12 the justice of the peace of Central area of Omsk passed a suspended sentence of 1,5-year imprisonment on 52-year-old 2nd-group disabled person Vitaly Mefodyev for dissemination of leaflets with appeal to committing murders, explosions, arsons of government body buildings, hooligan actions and acts of vandalism on the territory of Russia on May 2, 2009. 

On May 12 Oktyabrsky district court of Kirov passed a guilty verdict on four city residents who had beaten the natives of Caucasus in 2009. They got suspended sentences. 

On May 12 the verdict of Meshchansky district court of Moscow came into legal effect on 24-year-old native of republic of Daghestan Elkhan Balasultanov who spoke with a sermon of radical Islam in the mosque in April 2009. The court found the accused guilty and passed a suspended sentence of 1-year imprisonment on him with 1-year period of probation. 

On May 12 in Ryazan regional court first open court session took place for examination of criminal case against the skin-gang “Team of white inquisitors”. 

On May 12 in Tomsk garrison court the examination of the criminal case against infantry platoon commander Yevgeny Khalepchuk started; he is accused of incitement of interethnic hostility using his official position – in particular, of attempts to convince his subordinates of correctness of Hitler’s ideas. 

On May 12 in Murmansk the guilty verdict was passed on four participants of neo-Nazi group who attacked an anti-fascist concert on May 31, 2009. Three of them were sentenced to imprisonment of 2 year and 10 months and one – to imprisonment of 2,5 years. Besides the punishment as real imprisonment, the convicts must pay a compensation of 10 and 12 thousand rubles to two of the aggrieved persons who demanded to compensate their moral damage. 

Early in May Obninsk city court complied with a suit of the office of public prosecutor about acknowledgement of anti-Semitic book by Nikolay Levashov “Russia in distorting mirrors” extremist. 

Early in May the office of public prosecutor of Kirov region issued the presentations to local providers (SC “VyatkaTV” (Multinex), SC “Company “ER-Telecom” (DivanTV, Dom.ru), Kirov branch of SC “VolgaTelecom”) with demand to close access to some Internet resources acknowledged extremist or containing extremist materials. 

On May 4 it became known about completion of investigation of criminal case against a resident of Pskov who placed a video reel “Execution of a Tajik and a Dagh” on his page in “Vkontakte” showing scenes of murder of two men. 

On May 4 the investigatory bodies of Investigatory committee for Krasnodar region brought an accusation against of two Sochi residents who committed several murders and explosions motivated by xenophobia. 

On May 5 in St. Petersburg the accusation was brought against of former active RNE member Vladislav Gavrichenkov concerning incitement to committing a series of explosions in the city in 2008-2009. It was also announced that two activists of nationalistic organizations pleaded guilty for committing an explosion of railway bed on February 2, 2010 at Bronevaya station. 

On May 5 DPNI activists were detained in Moscow district Southern Butovo; they demanded to rename Kadyrov street. After conversation in militia station they were released. 

On May 9 in Kostroma at the Victory parade the law-enforcement bodies detained a radical who demonstrated his bared trunk with tattoo-swastika to veterans. 

On May 12 in Kursk the coordinator of DPNI-Voronezh was detained. 

On May 12 in Ulyanovsk the criminal case concerning incitement of ethnic and inter-religious hatred on the Internet was sent to court. 

On May 12 investigatory bodies of the Investigatory committee for Khabarovsk region brought an accusation of placing xenophobic graffiti in February 2010 against of 20-year-old city resident. 

One can speak about continuation of practice of illegitimate use of anti-extremist legislation for combat against anti-fascists. On May 1 in Nizhniy Novgorod the militiamen detained several dozen anti-fascists and anarchists. They were examined in militia station for several hours with use of tortures. Employees of Center “E” who participated in beating tried to recruit the anti-fascists, promised to pass the phone numbers and addresses of the detained to neo-Nazis in case of non-compliance and permitted the neo-Nazi with a nickname Shegi being famous in the city to strut about the station and shoot the detained with video camera.