RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES BLAME INTERNET FOR INCITING ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS STRIFE

Pravda.Ru
01.10.2008

The Office of the Prosecutor General of Russia blames the Internet
for the distribution of extremist and racial hostilities in the
nation. Deputy Prosecutor General Viktor Grin said in his speech at
the Russian State Duma Tuesday that about 500 websites in the Russian
zone of the World Wide Web incite international strife.

The official said that such websites contain tips on making explosives,
and provide detailed descriptions on how to place the bombs properly
for a successful attack. The official added that the criminals,
who conducted terrorist attacks with the use of bombs in different
cities and towns of Russia, used the information of those websites.

In addition, one may find whole books on the subject of terrorism on
the Internet too. Viktor Grin also pointed out that violent computer
games propagate hostility against people of other nationalities.

The official said that the Internet activity must be subjected to
legal regulations to cease the use of latest technologies in the
propaganda of terrorism and racial hatred.

Moscow is the ultimate leader in Russia on the number of hate
crimes. Nineteen crimes (with lethal outcomes) have been committed
in Russia on the base of the national or religious hostility during
the first half of the current year. Seventeen of those crimes have
been committed in Moscow. All of those 17 grave crimes have been
committed by groups of young men aged between 16-22 years old. The
men attacked nationals of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia
and Kyrgyzstan.

Two hundred and fifty extremist crimes have been reported in Russia in
total during the first six months of this year. Moscow is the leader
at this point with 73 hate crimes.

It is worthy of note that local authorities have already denied
access to several websites, which the Office of the Prosecutor General
considered extremist-oriented. Such measures have been taken in the
Novosibirsk region of Russia, for example.

There is a number of websites which contain appeals to change the
constitutional organization of the Russian Federation and conduct
terrorist acts against Russia. They also contain the materials to
justify the humiliation of the national dignity and the incitement
of racial and religious strife.

The popularity of the Internet has doubled in Russia during the
recent three years. However, more than a half of Russian citizens –
69 percent – do not use the World Wide Web. Twenty percent of Russians
used the Internet this year as a source of information only.

The Internet does not take the lead in Russia yet in comparison with
other sources of information, opinion polls say. Only eleven percent
of the polled said that they use the Internet daily. Nine percent of
the polled said that they use the net several times a week, whereas
seven percent said that they use it several times a month.