A month after Moscow's police chief issued a jaw-dropping denial that neo-Nazi gangs exist in the city, Moscow's chief prosecutor argued in an interview that the number of extremist crimes recorded in the city is falling, contrary to press and NGO reports that show a record number of hate crimes. In a March 19, 2008 interview with the government daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta Yuri Semin was asked about a series of recent murders committed by neo-Nazi gangs in his city. "I am sure that there is no growing wave of extremism," he said. "Yes, there have been crimes motivated by religious and ethnic hatred... But statistics show that year by year the number of such crimes is falling." He went on to report the detention of suspects in the murder of a chess master from the Sakha Republic, and described recently filed charges against the "Ryno gang" which is thought responsible for dozens of killings.

Both government and NGO statistics show that, contrary to Mr. Semin's optimistic spin, the number of hate crimes in Russia has increased year by year. According to Russian law enforcement figures, the number of crimes committed by extremist groups tripled from 2004-2007. The Sova Center, a Russian NGO, announced that 17 people were killed and more than 50 injured as of February 15, a pace that, if maintained, would result in a doubling of the 2007 numbers. While these are statistics collected across the country as a whole, the vast majority have occurred in Moscow.

Background Information:

http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/022208Russ2.shtml

http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/031208Russ2.shtml

http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/022208Russ2.shtml

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