Russian President Dmitry Medvedev spoke out against xenophobic rhetoric during the election campaign

October 17, 2011 at a meeting with management Federation Council in the city of Gorki (Moscow region), Russian President Dmitry Medvedev supported the idea introduction of a voluntary moratorium on the use of national themes during election campaigns and warned that fanning xenophobic sentiments will be punished by law, with no allowance for freedom of speech.

"Now is a very hot period in the country - it is campaign for elections to the State Duma, then there will be a presidential campaign. All political forces are obliged to refrain from using nationalistic cards and inflating xenophobic sentiments," Dmitry Medvedev said.

The head of state also stressed that on a conscious provoking ethnic clashes will respond in accordance with by law.

"The use of the nationalist map, inflating ethnic conflicts and religious strife is also crime. Even if this is done during the election campaign, this an appropriate legal assessment will be given without discounts on democracy and freedom of speech. We need to fight this,” the President stressed.

The head of state noted that xenophobia is big a problem not only for Russia, but also for a huge number of countries. The reason for this was complicating life due to the global financial economic crisis, and some people "tend to blame this crisis, including visitors - somewhere absolutely groundless, but somewhere, perhaps, partially and justly.

Vice Speaker of the Federation Council Ilyas Umakhanov During the same meeting, he put forward the idea of ​​introducing a voluntary moratorium on the use of nationalist slogans.

"The degree of xenophobic sentiment and intolerance very high in society. Someone can try to raise the ratings of their gear, someone - to earn votes. But elections come and go, and people remain. And it would be nice during the Duma campaign to announce a voluntary moratorium on non-use of national themes for opportunistic purposes", - said I.Umakhanov.

Sources

• Medvedev supported the moratorium on the use of national themes // RIA News. 2011. October 17.