More
Matrix Masters
Blogs
World Events
US News
Science & Health
Earth News
Free Speech
News from Africa
News from Palestine
Bill of Rights Under Attack

Matrix Masters'
SUPPORTERS

Lorenzo's
Random Musings
. . . about Chaos,
Reason, and Hope

 

Russian racism is 'out of control'
(BBC NEWS, 4 May 2006)
Racist killings in Russia are "out of control", according to a report by international human rights watchdog Amnesty International. . . . The report into violent racism shows that at least 28 people were killed and 366 were assaulted in 2005. . . . This year there have already been a number of high-profile cases, including the death of a Senegalese student. . . . The Amnesty report, entitled "Russian Federation: Violent racism out of control", includes examples of police and prosecutors routinely classifying murders and serious assaults by skinhead extremists as lesser crimes of "hooliganism". . . . Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said racist killings and violent attacks against foreigners, visible ethnic minorities and anti-racist campaigners in Russia were out of control. . . . "Some Russian authorities are turning a blind eye," she said. "Instead of seeing only 'hooliganism' in vicious organised attacks on students from African, south-east Asian countries and non-Slavic Russians from Chechnya, Russia's police and prosecutors need to tackle head-on the growing scourge of violent racism in Russia." . . . Cases highlighted in the Amnesty report include the killing of nine-year-old Tajik girl Khursheda Sultonov. . . . She was attacked with other members of her family in St Petersburg in February 2004 by a gang. Khursheda was stabbed nine times in the chest, stomach and arms and died at the scene. . . . The report also heard from members of the Roma community who have stopped travelling into St Petersburg city centre, having been the victims of attacks. . . . Russian citizens and foreigners living in the big cities have led demonstrations against the attacks and the authorities' failure to tackle the problem.

posted by LoZo 4:11 AM