Source:

Süddeutsche Zeitung: Assaults on Jews characterised as „riots” [ID 11473]

11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

During 2007 racially motivated violent attacks against Jews decreased, while anti-Semitic abuses continued to be a problem ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 22621]

For information on cases, please see the report.

"During the year racially motivated violent attacks against Jews decreased, while anti-Semitic abuses continued to be a problem, with the overall number of anti-Semitic incidents remaining about the same.

There were several reports of vandals desecrating Jewish cemeteries and defacing Jewish religious and cultural facilities, sometimes combined with threats to the Jewish community. Anti-Semitic graffiti and leaflets appeared frequently in many regions. Anti-Semitism on television or in other mainstream media was infrequent and was more likely to appear in low-circulation newspapers or in pamphlets.

Anti-Semitic materials on Russian-language Internet sites have increased. There was no evidence of state-sponsored anti-Semitism. On June 11, in Ivanovo, skinheads shouting anti-Semitic slogans attacked two Jewish men. In February five teenagers were convicted of murder by reason of ethnic hatred for the 2005 murder of Andrey Dzyuba in Yekaterinburg. (…)"

Document(s): Open document

14.09.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Racially motivated violent attacks against Jews decreased during the reporting period, but Anti-Semitism remained serious problem and there were several anti-Semitic attacks on persons and synagogues ("International Religious Freedom Report 2007") [ID 21213]

"Racially motivated violent attacks against Jews decreased during the reporting period, despite an increase in racist violence targeting other ethnic groups. Anti-Semitism remained a serious problem, and there were several anti-Semitic attacks on persons and synagogues during the reporting period. (…)

In September 2006, a court convicted of attempted murder and of inciting ethnic and religious strife, and sentenced to 16 years in prison, a man who stabbed eight persons during evening prayers in the Chabad synagogue in Moscow in January 2006. The assailant did not deny that anti-Semitism was a motive in his attack. The courts increased the 13-year sentence he received in April 2006 because it had not taken into account the extremist motive of the attack. A student attempted a copy-cat attack on a synagogue in Rostov-on-Don in January 2006, but security guards stopped him before he could harm anyone. An appeals court overturned his attempted murder conviction on the basis that he was mentally unfit to stand trial, and ordered him to undergo psychiatric treatment. On October 1, 2005, 21-year-old Andrey Dzyuba was killed by a gang of drunken teenagers in Yekaterinburg. The group yelled anti-Semitic insults at Dzyuba, dragged him to a cemetery, beat him, and killed him with a metal cross grave marker. Courts convicted five of the attackers of murder for reason of ethnic hatred, and gave them sentences ranging from five to ten years in prison. Ten underage attackers who participated in the beating but not the murder were not charged due to their age. According to the NGO Moscow Bureau of Human Rights (MBHR), the ultranationalist and anti-Semitic Russian National Unity (RNE) paramilitary organization continued to propagate hostility toward Jews and non-Orthodox Christians. The RNE appeared to have lost political influence in some regions since its peak in 1998, but the organization maintained high levels of activity in other regions, such as Voronezh. (…)

Vandals desecrated several synagogues and Jewish community centers during the reporting period, including in Saratov, Lipetsk, Borovichy, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Taganrog, Samara, Petrozavodsk, Perovo, Baltiisk, Kurgan, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Tomsk, and Kaliningrad. Officials often classified the crimes as "hooliganism." In the cases where local authorities prosecuted cases, courts generally imposed suspended sentences. (…)

There were many reports of anti-Semitic publications during the reporting period."

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06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Anti-Semitism remained serious problem; synagogues and Jewish community centers frequently attacked during the year across the country; these acts are often prosecuted as hooliganism rather than as hate crimes ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19311]

For more detailed information please see the report

"Anti-Semitism remained a serious problem. Racially motivated violent attacks against Jews decreased during the year, despite an increase in racist violence targeting other ethnic groups. Vandalism targeting Jewish religious and cultural facilities is common, sometimes combined with threats to the life and health of the attending persons. Anti-Semitic graffiti and leaflets appear frequently in many regions. While less frequent than vandalism and graffiti, anti-Semitism in mass media also occurred. However, there was positive progress in countering anti-Semitic manifestations since previous years. Many in the Jewish community attribute this to the absence of official "state-sponsored" anti-Semitism and because the Jewish community has undergone a major institutional revival. (…) In late December a Jewish man in Moscow was stabbed to death on his way to pick up his son. Media reports speculate that anti-Semitism may have been a motive. Synagogues and Jewish community centers were frequently attacked during the year across the country. (…) Many Jewish cemeteries were desecrated and were often prosecuted as hooliganism rather than as hate crimes. (…) Some State Duma deputies and other prominent figures expressed anti-Semitic sentiments. (…) According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), there were several cases against the editors of regional newspapers for publishing anti Semitic articles. (…) Anti Semitic statements have been legally prosecuted and the government has publicly denounced nationalist ideology and expressed support for legal action against anti-Semitic acts; however, some lower level officials remained reluctant to call such acts anything other than "hooliganism.""

Document(s): Open document

09.02.2007 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

5 youths sentenced to prison terms of up to 10 years for the racially motivated killing of a Jewish man in October 2005 ("Five Russian Youths Sentenced For Killing Jewish Man") [ID 18539]

Document(s): Open document

22.09.2006 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

2 synagogues attacked by vandals, one in Siberia and one in the south of the country; no injuries were reported in either incident ("Two Synagogues Attacked In Russia") [ID 16938]

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Many in the Jewish community said that conditions for Jews have improved, but anti Semitic incidents continued to occur ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46144],  [ID 11465]

For examples of anti-Semitic incidents, please refer to the original document

"An estimated 600 thousand to 1 million Jews live in the country. The Federation of Jewish Communities (FJC) estimates that up to 500 thousand Jews live in Moscow and 100 thousand in St. Petersburg. These estimates significantly exceed the results of the official government census.
Many in the Jewish community said that conditions for Jews have improved, primarily due to the absence of official "state-sponsored" anti-Semitism and because the Jewish community has undergone a major institutional revival. Nonetheless, anti Semitic incidents continued to occur. The FJC reported an increase in anti-Semitic attacks in late 2004 and the first months of 2005, but reported that this trend did not continue through the rest of the year. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported the overall number of violent attacks against Jews did not rise throughout the year, but that a new trend of increasing public actions, demonstrations, and political statements against Jews had appeared."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Many in the Jewish community continued to state that conditions for Jewish persons in the country had improved, primarily because there was no longer any official, "state sponsored," anti Semitism; however, anti-Semitic themes continued to figure in local publications, unchallenged by authorities ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29515],  [ID 11466]

"Many in the Jewish community continued to state that conditions for Jewish persons in the country had improved, primarily because there was no longer any official, "state sponsored," anti Semitism. At the federal level and in some regions, officials have shown an interest in hearing the concerns of the Jewish community. However, anti Semitic incidents against individuals and institutions continued, including attacks on individuals identifiable as Jews and attacks on Jewish property and cemeteries. Preliminary Anti Defamation League (ADL) statistics for the year indicated that, while the number of anti Semitic incidents remained roughly stable, the nature of the attacks had become more violent. There were no reports that the Government encouraged anti Semitic statements; leaders condemned them and even prosecuted some individuals for making them; however, many lower level officials continued to be reluctant to call such acts anything other than "hooliganism."

In April, Jewish youth leader Aleksandr Golynskiy was beaten near his home in Ulyanovsk and sent to the hospital. Two days later, extremists stormed the Ulyanovsk Jewish Center screaming, "don't pollute our land," smashing windows, and tearing down Jewish symbols as Jewish women and children hid inside. No one was injured, but police failed to respond quickly, arriving 40 minutes after they were called. A member of the extremist National Bolshevik Party was later arrested in connection with the attack. The investigation was ongoing at year's end. In Voronezh, on April 29, two young skinheads attacked Aleksey Kozlov outside the headquarters of the Inter Regional Human Rights Movement of which he is in charge. Kozlov is the regional monitor for an anti Semitism and racism project in Russia sponsored by the European Commission. Authorities detained the two teenagers but did not charge them; one was below the age of criminal responsibility, and the other allegedly shouted threats but did not use force. In December, two Jews were beaten in separate hate crimes in Moscow, one while riding a train and the other while walking on the street.

During the year, unknown persons vandalized synagogues, Jewish cemeteries, and memorials. Vandals desecrated tombstones in cemeteries dominated by religious and ethnic minorities in numerous cases. These attacks usually were accompanied by swastikas and other ultra nationalist symbols. Localities in which Jewish cemeteries were desecrated during the year included St. Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, Pyatigorsk, Makhachkala, and Derbent. In February and December, Jewish tombs were desecrated with swastikas in one of the oldest cemeteries in St. Petersburg. On March 31, a Jewish cemetery was desecrated in Kaluga, and, after the local Jewish community chairman notified the governor about the incident, four teenagers and two adults suspected in the vandalism were detained. On November 25, a court sentenced three of the individuals, including one minor, to 2 years' probation. The other participants were too young to prosecute. In April, July, and August, unknown persons vandalized the Jewish cemetery in Petrozavodsk.

Anti Semitic rhetoric has been used by some members of the Rodina bloc, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF) in their public statements. Anti Semitic themes appeared in some local election campaigns.

Hundreds of extremist publications, including newspapers, were distributed throughout the country, sometimes containing anti Semitic, anti Muslim and xenophobic articles. Anti Semitic themes continued to figure in some local publications around the country, unchallenged by local authorities. In cases where Jewish or other public organizations attempted to take legal action against the publishers, the courts generally were unwilling to recognize the presence of anti Semitic content. Some NGOs claimed that many of these publications were owned or managed by the same local authorities who refused to prosecute."

Document(s): Open document

24.01.2005 - Source: Forum 18

Greek Orthodox, Muslims and Jews lose battle to regain their former places of worship that had been confiscated in the Communist era ("RUSSIA: Church, mosque and synagogue kept by southern authorities") [#29306],  [ID 11468]

Document(s): Open document

25.02.2004 - Source: US Department of State

Although Jewish leaders have stated publicly that the State-sponsored anti-Semitism of the Soviet era no longer existed, Jews continued to face prejudice, social discrimination, and some acts of violence ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2003") [#19737],  [ID 11467]

"Mainstream politicians, such as Duma Deputy and leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennadiy Zyuganov, also made anti-Semitic comments in the press. Communist Duma deputy Vasiliy Shandybin has often made derogatory public references to Jews. Anti-Semitic themes also figured in local election campaigns. (...)

Muslims, Catholics, Jews, and members of other minority religions continued to encounter prejudice and societal discrimination. In the case of Muslims and Jews, it was difficult to separate religious from ethnic motivations. (...)

Although Jewish leaders have stated publicly that the State-sponsored anti-Semitism of the Soviet era no longer existed, Jews continued to face prejudice, social discrimination, and some acts of violence. The NCSJ reported that there were attacks on, and threats toward, Jews, Jewish leaders, and Jewish property, citing instances in Moscow, Ulyanovsk, Samara, and Voronezh. According to a press report, at the end of July, police successfully defused a bomb wired to an anti-Semitic placard by the side of a highway south of Moscow. There were similar incidents in 2002.

During the year, unknown persons vandalized synagogues, Jewish cemeteries, and memorials. Vandals desecrated tombstones in cemeteries dominated by religious and ethnic minorities in numerous cases. These attacks usually were accompanied by swastikas and other ultra-nationalist symbols. For example, a human rights NGO reported that on August 5, vandals smashed windows and painted swastikas and anti-Semitic slogans on the Yaroslavl synagogue. This was the fourth attack on the synagogue during the year. According to the Jewish Cultural Center in Yaroslavl, there were two more attacks at the complex in May and June. On June 22, vandals celebrating the day when the Great Patriotic War began, smashed windows and painted anti-Semitic slogans. The Mayor of Yaroslavl allotted approximately $3,000 (90,000 rubles) for reparations. According to a Jewish Cultural Center representative, the investigation classified these cases as hooliganism, but they could not confirm whether any of these cases were brought to a court.

Responses to anti-Semitic violence were mixed. Authorities often provided strong words of condemnation, but with a few exceptions, have preferred to label the perpetrators as terrorists or hooligans. Occasionally, the Government has redesignated these events as criminal acts resulting from ethnic hatred.

A large number of small, radical-nationalist newspapers are distributed throughout the country. They carry anti-Semitic, as well as anti-Muslim and xenophobic leaflets. Anti-Semitic themes continued to figure in some local publications around the country, unchallenged by local authorities. Some NGOs claimed that many of these publications are owned or managed by the same authorities."

Document(s): Open document

04.2002 - Source: UK Home Office

UK Home Office: Government has been criticised for insufficient action to counter discrimination ("Country Assessment - April 2002") [#7107],  [ID 11472]

"Jews continue to encounter prejudice and societal discrimination, and the government has been criticised for insufficient action to counter it. There have been several reports of recent acts of intimidation linked to anti-Semitic groups or motives, including the vandalism of Jewish synagogues, cemeteries, and memorials. Meanwhile, anti-Semitic leaflets, graffiti, and articles continue to appear in some regions. While anti-Semitic publications are against the law in Russia, critics have claimed that legislation designed to protect minority rights has not been strictly enforced, and that the police have failed to respond adequately to reports of anti-Semitic actions.
(…) During 2001, President Putin and other top Kremlin officials spoke out publicly against anti-Semitism, and in September Putin issued an open letter to members of the Jewish community on the occasion of the Jewish New Year, in which he noted that the problem of anti-Semitism persisted and reiterated the government's commitment to fight it. In July 2000, Russia's Chief Rabbi, Berel Lazar, stated that the Jewish community experiences no more anti-Semitism there than in any other East European nation and much less than in some countries. He stated further that, "We do not feel any negative attitude on the part of the state to the Jewish people and our religion," that Russia possesses the conditions for the development of all religions, and that the Russian leadership, the people, and other religions alike, have a good attitude towards the Jewish people."

Document(s): Open document

2002 - Source: Moscow Helsinki Group

Report on nationalism, xenophobia and intolerance (legislation, particularly vulnerable groups) ("Nationalism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Contemporary Russia") [#15156],  [ID 11469]

Document(s): Open document