Charges brought against distributor of books whose contents are aimed at inciting national hatred

On May 13, 2008, employees of the Center for Combating Terrorism of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia charged Muscovite Alexander Chervyakov, who was detained in May 2007, for distributing books "the content of which is aimed at inciting national, racial and religious hatred." The case was referred to the court for further consideration.

A. Chervyakov is charged under Part 1 of Art. 282-1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organization of an extremist community).

In his apartment on Altufievskoye Highway, the man set up a private printing house, where he printed and later sold anti-Semitic literature. This literature was distributed in various regions of the country. The texts of the books called on readers "to hatred, enmity, and also the humiliation of the human dignity of other nationalities." A. Chervyakov also wrote his own "original" works on this subject. "The walls of the apartment were completely pasted over with posters with aggressive inscriptions and caricature images of non-Slavic people" .

The operatives seized more than 600 books, as well as many leaflets and videotapes calling for "inciting racial hatred" (this was confirmed by a socio-psychological forensic examination).

In addition, the investigators found out that the suspect became the founder of an organization called the Great Russian National Party. Chervyakov developed symbols and adopted the charter of the party, and also attracted other members to it "to commit crimes of an extremist nature." At his headquarters, he held lectures for all comers.

Sources

• Case against leader of extremist organization referred to court // Official site of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. 2008. May 13.
• The owner of a private printing house was charged with extremism // Interfax.2008. may 13.