Vietnamese Students Protest St. Petersburg Death

Vietnamese students protest against the acquittal of the alleged killers of their colleague, Va An Tuan (ITAR-TASS)

ST. PETERSBURG, October 23, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Some 200 Vietnamese students are protesting in St. Petersburg against a decision by a local court to free 17 men accused of killing of a Vietnamese student in 2004.

Only one suspect is still on trial, for his alleged role in an attack on a citizen of Ghana two years ago.

Vietnam sent a note of protest to the Russian Embassy in Hanoi on October 19.

According to the Sova Center, which monitors hate crimes, at least 20 foreign citizens have been killed in racially motivated crimes in Russia this year.