December 2009 Monthly Summary and Preliminary Resume of 2009

In December 2009, Sova center registered at least four murdered and six injured in racist and neo-Nazo motivated violence acts. Besides Moscow and St. Petersburg, an attack took place in Petrozavodsk. (In December 2008, at least four were murdered and at least 34 injured.)

In all, from the beginning of the year, according to our sources, at least 60 people were murdered and at least 306 injured in violent hate crimes (in 2008, at least 110 were murdered and at least 486 injured).

In December 2009, we registered at least 11 organized graffiti and sticker actions held by ultra-right groups. Besides, one Jewish and one Orthodox object became victims of vandalism (in the latter case, radicals threw an explosive device into the church).

In all, from the beginning of the year, we registered at least 114 acts of vandalism committed, as we estimate, with a hate motive or because of neo-Nazi views. Among them, 57 were acts of ideologically motivated vandalism (profanation of World War II memorials, organized graffiti actions, etc.), 22 attacks against Jewish religious objects, 15 against Orthodox ones, seven against Muslim ones, four against Armenian ones, four against ones of various Protestant denominations, four against buildings of new religious organizations, one against a Catholic object. Among these attacks, there were at least 12 explosions and arsons of Jewish, Orthodox, Protestant objects and those of new religious organizations.

Separately, we register attacks against state structures and the so-called :targetless; terror directed not against particular targets of hate but at causing the biggest damage possible for the purpose of bullying.

In December 2009, we registered two such cases. In St. Petersburg, an arson attempt was made on an apartment that citizens of Tajikistan rented, and in Moscow, on the Federal Security Service department office in the Southeastern administrative district.

In all, from the beginning of the year, we registered at least 20 explosions, arsons, imitations of explosive devices, etc. that can most probably be rated as actions held by radical rights. Neo-Nazis themselves took the responsibility for at least 40 such crimes, however the truthfulness of these declarations, as well as the facts of the crimes per se are often very doubtful.

In December, at least four sentences were passed for murders and attacks carried out with racist and neo-Nazi motives when courts recognized hate motives (in Novosibirsk, Cheliabinsk, St. Petersburg, and Vladimir region). 12 people were sentenced, six of them received suspended sentences.

In all, at least 45 sentences were passed in 2009 for similar crimes where courts recognized the hate motive. These sentences were passed in 25 regions of Russia. At least 137 people were convicted. 33 of them received suspended sentences or were for various reasons released from their punishment. Further see Chronicle of Guilty Verdicts for Hate Motivated Violence. 2009.

In 2008, there were 35 such sentences, 118 people were sentenced, 31 among them given suspended sentences.

In December 2009, at least five sentences against five people were passed for xenophobic propaganda (incitement of national hate) (in Moscow, Kursk, Vladivostok, Chita and Cheliabinsk). Three convicts received suspended sentences without additional sanctions.

In all, in 2009, at least 38 guilty verdicts were passed under article 282 in 27 regions of Russia. 48 people were convicted, 21 of them received suspended sentences or were released from their punishment. Further see Chronicle of the Guilty Verdicts for Propaganda of Xenophobia in Russia. 2009.

In 2008, 44 sentences for xenophobic propaganda were passed against 60 people.

In December, the Federal List of Extremist Materials was supplemented three times (on 17, 25 and 28 December) and so it grew from 454 to 467 items. Besides, in December, one item was withdrawn from the list for the first time. This was a leaflet against Krishnaists by the "Young Guard of the "United Russia'.

In all, in 2009, the Federal List of Extremist Materials grew from 301 to 467 items. It should be noted that the document's quality continues to decrease: the number of materials included twice and unidentifiable ones grows.

Summarizing 2009, we would like to note some more facts.

In 2009, one sentence in each of five regions of Russia (Moscow, Moscow region, Ivanovo region, Sverdlovsk region, and Krasnoyarsk territory) was passed for vandalism with a hate motive. Six people were convicted. Further see Chronicle of the Guilty Verdicts for Hate Motivated Vandalism. 2009. In 2008, there were two such sentences passed.

During the year, at least 10 sentences were passed for public calls for extremist activity (in three cases, people were also accused of incitement of national hate). Further see Khronika obvinitel'nykh prigovorov za publichnye prizyvy k ekstremistskoi deiatel'nosti v 2009 godu. In 2008, there were eight such sentences passed.

The Federal Service for the Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications issued 28 "anti-extremist' warnings to media in 2009 (the same number as in 2008 ). Among them, we consider at least 11 warnings inappropriate (in 2008, there were six such warnings).