SOVA Center fOr InfOrmAtion And AnAlySIS Xenophobia, Freedom of Conscience and Anti-Extremism in Russia in 2015 A collection of annual reports by the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis Moscow 2016 UDC 323.1(470+571)(082.1)«2015» BBC 66.094я43+66.3(2Рос),54я43 Содержание X44 X44 Xenophobia, freedom of Conscience and Anti-extremism in russia in 2015: Vera Alperovich, Natalia Yudina A collection of annual reports by the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis; The Ultra-Right Movement under Pressure: Xenophobia and Radical [Alperovich Vera, Sibireva Olga, Kravchenko Maria, Yudina Natalia, Verkhovsky Nationalism in Russia, and Efforts to Counteract Them in 2015 .................. 7 Alexander / Ed. by Verkhovsky Alexander] – М.: SOVA Center, 2016. – 143 pp.: tables Summary ............................................................................................ 7 ISBN 978-5-98418-038-2 Criminal Manifestations of Racism and Xenophobia .......................... 10 This collection of reports summarizes all the major areas of work addressed by the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis in 2015, in a similar fashion to collections in previous years. Systematic Racist and Neo-Nazi Violence .................................. 10 There are three reports on themes which have become traditional for the SOVA Center Attacks against Ethnic “Others” ........................................... 11 in this collection: The first report addresses radical nationalism and hate crime, and the efforts of Attacks against Political Adversaries ..................................... 12 government and society to combat these phenomena. The second report addresses problems relating to freedom of conscience in contemporary Russia. The third report addresses the misuse Attacks against LGBT or Homeless People ........................... 13 and abuse of “anti-extremism” measures. The reports are updated versions of original texts on the SOVA Center website. Violence Motivated by Religion ............................................ 14 The appendix provides details about hate crimes and the prosecution of “extremist Vandalism .................................................................................. 14 crimes”. All data were compiled at March 25, 2016. Public Activity of Ultra-Right Radicals .............................................. 15 This collection was compiled and published with the support Pressure against the Ultra-Right Movement ................................ 15 of the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and Norwegian Helsinki Committee. The Effect of Pressure on Ultra-Right Organizations ................. 21 Ultra-Right Public Actions ......................................................... 26 We are also grateful for support from the European Union represented by European Commission (project EIDHR/2014/348-053) and for the state support grants distributed by Effects of the Pressure against the Ultra-Right Civil Dignity Movement per Decree no. 79-rp of the President of the Russian Federation, issued on 1 April 2015. on Their Rally Activity ......................................................... 26 “Ukraine-Related” Nationalist Actions ............................... 28 The SOVA Center website, which includes publications and news, Traditional Nationalist Actions ............................................. 31 can be found at http://sova-center.ru Other Public Event Initiatives ............................................... 36 Design, cover design – N. Vinnik Layout – М. Konkova Electoral Activity ....................................................................... 38 Other Activity by Nationalist Groups ......................................... 40 Подписано в печать 8 апреля 2016 г. Формат 60х84 1/ . Гарнитура Таймс. 16 Counter-action to Radical Nationalism and Xenophobia ................... 43 Уч.изд. л. 8,6. Публикация онлайн. РОО Центр «Сова». Адрес для писем: 101000, Москва, Лучников пер., д.4, под.3, к.2. Public Initiatives ........................................................................ 43 Телефон/факс: (495) 517-92-30. E-mail: [email protected]. Веб-сайт: http://sova-center.ru Criminal Prosecution ................................................................ 44 For Violence ........................................................................ 44 © Authors, 2016 – report texts For Vandalism ...................................................................... 46 © Vinnik N.V., 2016 – design For Propaganda ................................................................... 47 Prosecution of Extremist Groups 9 785984 180382 and Banned Organizations ................................................... 54 The Federal List of Extremist Materials ..................................... 56 The Overall Practice of Blocking .........................................105 Banning Organizations as Extremist ........................................... 58 Some Examples of Access Restrictions ................................107 Administrative Prosecution ........................................................ 61 Other Sanctions ..................................................................109 Prosecutorial Activity on the Internet ......................................... 63 Mass Media and Anti-Extremism ..............................................110 Political and Civic Activists ......................................................112 Olga Sibireva “The Ukrainian Question” ..................................................112 Freedom of Conscience in Russia: Restrictions and Challenges in 2015 ..... 67 Other Cases of “Separatism” ...............................................117 Summary .......................................................................................... 67 Misusing Criminalization of Incitement to Hatred ..............118 Legislation relating to religious organizations ..................................... 69 Misuse Related to Bans against Political Groups .................120 Federal legislation ...................................................................... 69 Religious Groups ......................................................................121 Regional initiatives ..................................................................... 71 Hizb ut-Tahrir ....................................................................121 Initiatives not (yet) successfully progressed ................................. 72 Tablighi Jamaat ...................................................................123 Problems relating to places of worship ................................................ 72 Followers of Said Nursi .......................................................123 Problems with the construction of religious buildings .................. 72 Other Muslims ....................................................................125 Problems with existing religious buildings ................................... 76 Jehovah’s Witnesses .............................................................127 Positive resolutions ..................................................................... 77 Falun Gong ........................................................................128 Defending believers’ feelings .............................................................. 78 The Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church .......................129 Preferential treatment accorded certain religious Criticism against Religion ...................................................130 organizations by the authorities .......................................................... 83 Incidental Victims of Inappropriate Anti-Extremism ........................132 Liquidation of religious organizations A Bit of Statistics ..............................................................................134 and denial of registration ................................................................... 87 Appendix. Crime and punishment statistics .......................................140 Discrimination against religious organizations Statistics of Racist and Neo-Nazi Attacks in Russia ...................140 and citizens on the basis of their attitude to religion ............................ 89 Guilty Verdicts for “Crimes of an Extremist Nature” .................142 Insufficient protection against defamation and attacks ....................... 93 Maria Kravchenko, Alexander Verkhovsky Inappropriate Enforcement of Anti-Extremist Legislation in Russia in 2015 ...................................................................................... 99 Summary .......................................................................................... 99 Creation of Regulatory Acts ..............................................................100 Principal Targets of Persecution .......................................................105 The Internet and Anti-Extremism .............................................105 Vera Alperovich, Natalia Yudina The Ultra-Right Movement under Pressure: Xenophobia and Radical Nationalism in Russia, and Efforts to Counteract Them in 2015 Summary Greatly increased law enforcement pressure against most active public figures and organizations of the Russian nationalist movement was the princi- pal issue of 2015.1 The far right activists, who never supported the Novorossiya project, were the first, but not the only ones to be affected. The exact causes of this enforcement dynamic are not quite clear. At least, it was definitely not a reaction to any increase in the far-right activity.