Armenian public organizations denounce Russia’s skinhead killings

Arminfo
7 Jun 06

Yerevan, 7 June: The cases of violence on the grounds of racial and
ethnic hatred have recently become more frequent in Russia.

Along with this, attempts by the Russian law-enforcement agencies and
justice authorities to veil racial crimes or even to justify
criminals, and thereby to encourage a recurrence of aggressive
xenophobia and extremism, are also in evidence, several Armenian
public organizations said in a statement forwarded to Arminfo news
agency.

Today more than half of the world’s neo-Nazi organizations have been
registered in Russia, the authors of the statement said. Moreover,
the issue is not about separate marginal groups but about a mass
phenomenon

[Passage omitted: reiterates the point]

In connection with the above the Armenian public organizations
consider it their duty to resolutely denounce any manifestation of
ethnic and racial hatred and express their deep concern about the
spread of xenophobia, racism and neo-nazism in Russia. The Russian
authorities and society are directly responsible for the deterioration
of the situation.

“If you talk about racism with regard to Armenians, one should also
mention the political dimension of the issue. The official statements
made by both sides about “centuries-old friendship and brotherhood”
sound false against the background of such events. The Armenians do
not intend to remain silent while our compatriots are being killed in
Russia,” the statement said.

“The political leadership and the elite of Russia are causing a rift
between the two nations by their inertia regarding this issue. We are
aware of the low level of legal and civil culture in Russia, when both
the constitution and laws of the country are being violated. However,
the current situation is not only about the violation of Russian
legislation, but rather about the gross breach of international norms
and obligations Russia has signed up to,” the statement said.

[Passage omitted: Armenia to appeal to international bodies]