Three criminal proceedings for inciting inter-ethnic hatred were opened by the Public Prosecutor's Office after the inquiry of deputy of the State Duma from the YABLOKO faction Sergei Mitrokhin. First Deputy Public Prosecutor General Yuri Biryukov duly informed Sergei Mitrokhin in a letter received by Mitrokhin on May 15, 2003.

Deputy Public Prosecutor General Nikolai Savchenko opened criminal proceedings in accordance with Article 282, Part 1, of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (for inciting ethnic, race or religious hatred, based on the publication and distribution of the "Russkaya Pravda" (Russian Truth) magazine. The second case was opened by Timeryazevskaya Inter-District Prosecutor's Office of Moscow on the publication and distribution of the Rusich magazine. The third case was opened in Samara against Oleg Kitter, Editor of "Alex-Inform" newspaper. "At present an investigation of these cases is proceeding" runs the letter. - "The results of the investigation are under the control of the Office of the Public Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation."

Sergei Mitrokhin forwarded an inquiry to the Public Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Vladimir Ustinov on February 27, 2003, at the request of Public Coordination Committee created in Moscow in 2002 for counteracting manifestations of fascism, extremist xenophobia and nationalism. In his inquiry Mitrokhin drew the attention of the Public Prosecutor General to illegal actions by individuals responsible for the distribution of publications that insult Jews, Christians and representatives of Middle Asia and North Caucasus nations and contain calls to expel or murder people of Jewish belief.

"I am satisfied with the actions of the Office of the Public Prosecutor General," said Mitrokhin. "The ideas of racism and xenophobia represent huge threats for such a large and multiethnic country as Russia. Combating the appearance of such ideas should be a priority direction for corresponding state authorities."

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