Russian Federation

On the basis of information from the SOVA Center, an NGO, the Holy See reported the murder of an Orthodox priest and an assault on two persons, as well as five cases of arson and 24 of the vandalization of churches.

The SOVA Center for Information and Analysis reported the killing of an Orthodox priest and a physical assault against another priest. It also reported 12 arson attacks on places of worship, five of which were against Orthodox churches, including one attempted bombing. It also reported that Jehovah’s Witnesses had been subjected to death threats and attacks. Citing media sources for the information, the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights, reported the vandalization of eight Orthodox churches, one Orthodox school and two Baptist churches. They also reported the desecration of eight Christian cemeteries, including two Armenian cemeteries.

The Moscow Bureau of Human Rights reported, citing media sources, 79 cases of xenophobic murder, 116 xenophobic assaults, one attack on a group of migrants using explosives, and 36 incidents of xenophobic graffiti. The SOVA Center for Information and Analysis recorded 71 persons killed and 333 others targeted in racially motivated assaults. The majority of victims were from Central Asia (29 killed and 68 injured) and the Caucasus (11 killed and 47 injured). The Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy reported the fatal stabbing of a Cameroonian man, and two other instances of assault against persons of African origin.

Human rights defenders from the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis, Young Europe, Youth Human Rights Movement, Ryazan School of Human Rights, Novorossiysk Committee for Human Rights and the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights reported death threats and attacks. The Moscow Bureau for Human Rights also reported, based on media sources, the killing of two activists and an attack on a film festival.

Based on information from media sources, the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights reported one attack on a synagogue and seven instances in which cemeteries were desecrated. The Stephen Roth Institute reported 28 violent incidents.

Citing media sources, the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights reported an attack on a shop associated with Muslims and four cases in which cemeteries were desecrated. The SOVA Center for Information and Analysis reported one physical assault, an arson attack on a mosque, two cases of the vandalizing of mosques and one of a cemetery desecration.

The Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy published a survey of victims of violence and harassment among the minority black African community.