Rise in Racial Killings Reported in Russia - NEWS - MOSNEWS.COM

Racist and religious hate murders more than doubled in Russia between 2003 and 2004, a group of independent Russian experts has reported. “The number of murders motivated by ethnic or religious hatred rose sharply last year in comparison with the previous year: there were at least 45, compared to around 20 in 2003,” according to the report, entitled “Nationalism in Russia and Opposition to Racist Crimes.” Approximately one in five victims were foreign nationals, mainly from third-world countries, said the study, compiled mainly by experts from the independent Sova think tank, which cited “difficulties” in obtaining reliable data on the killings from the authorities, the AFP news agency reports.