Accessibility links

Breaking News

Russia Criticized For Allowing Racial Discrimination


Friends of a student from Senegal who was killed in April hold his picture during a rally in his memory in St. Petersburg on April 8 (epa) PRAGUE, May 16, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- The Council of Europe's antiracism body says Russia is not doing enough to tackle racial discrimination and extremism.

In a new report, the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) says Russia has reinforced a law aimed at combating racism, racial discrimination, and extremism, and that there have been some prosecutions for hate speech.


But the report adds that there needs to be greater urgency at both local and national level in tackling the problem.


It says many immigrant workers, notably from former Soviet republics, experience "oppressive working conditions," and that the situation of asylum seekers and refugees is "precarious."


The report said there are still some problems of racial discrimination, particularly in education, access to public services, and employment.

Epidemic Of Hate

Epidemic Of Hate

Yusuf Sultonov, whose 9-year-old daughter was beaten and stabbed to death in St. Petersburg on February 9, 2004 (TASS)

EXTREMISM ASCENDANT: More than half of Russians have xenophobic views, according to a report published in August 2005. In the report, rights groups say that -- despite progress in some areas -- racism, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism remain rife in Russia. But what worries watchdogs most are recent moves by nationalist-patriotic movements to form paramilitary groups....(more)


RELATED ARTICLES

A Timeline Of Recent Racial Incidents

Russian Ombudsman Condemns Hate Crimes

Hate Crime Trial Highlights Mounting Racism

Minister Says Russia Can't Stop Xenophobia Alone

For African Students In Russia, Affordable Education Comes At A Price


ARCHIVE

To view an archive of all of RFE/RL's coverage of Russia, click here.



SUBSCRIBE

For a regular review of civil-society developments throughout RFE/RL's broadcast region, subscribe to "RFE/RL (Un)Civil Societies."


RFE/RL IN RUSSIAN: Visit RFE/RL's Russian-language website, featuring news, analysis, features, streaming audio, and more in Russian, courtesy of RFE/RL's Russian Service.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG