Rostov Neo-Nazi Sentenced for Vandalizing Armenian Church

Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, DC
Dec 22 2006

(December 22, 2006)

A 23-year old neo-Nazi has been sentenced to six months in prison
for vandalizing an Armenian church, according to a December 20,
2006 report in the local newspaper "Gazeta Dona." The defendant,
identified in the report only by his last name Mishchenko, has a long
criminal record and admitted his membership in a skinhead gang. The
court found that on July 31, 2006 he entered the Surb-Khach museum
of Armenian culture, which includes an Armenian Apostolic church,
and set a fire. He also painted racist graffiti. Within two weeks
he was arrested and charged with vandalism. It appears that no hate
crime charges were brought against the defendant.