The Anti-Defamation League and the National Conference on Soviet Jewry have called on Russian political, business, religious, educational and cultural leaders to take steps to prevent the further spread of political and other forms of anti-Semitism. ADL and NCSJ have urged these leaders to undertake a comprehensive and sustained campaign to counteract these increasingly vocal voices of intolerance and divisiveness. Such a campaign must be fought through legislation, law enforcement, education and popular culture.

While Soviet-era laws intended to combat fascist propaganda and extremism remain on the books, Russia continues to lack police and judicial enforcement and implementation of these laws. Furthermore, elected officials are immune from prosecution for inciting ethnic hatred. President Yeltsin has pledged to initiate legislation to counter anti-Semitism and extremism, but the Russian Parliament, comprised largely of Communists and nationalists, is not expected to pass such legislation.

The Government of Russia must enact more precise hate-crime and hate-speech laws and enforce existing laws for all citizens, including elected officials. National and local task forces should be established to coordinate this implementation, including charging a special unit of law enforcement with monitoring hate groups. Finally, training programs for law enforcement should be established

...the U.S. must make it clear to the Russian Government that the U.S. expects a strong commitment to human rights and the protection of minorities.

to instruct Russians on how to recognize hate crimes and to sensitize law enforcement in dealing with victims of hate crimes.

Just as the United States took the lead in support of freedom for Soviet Jewry during the Soviet era, it must continue to take the lead in assisting Russia through the transition toward a democratic society. To this end, the U.S. must make it clear to the Russian Government that the U.S. expects a strong commitment to human rights and the protection of minorities.

Today Russia's weak democratic structures allow these manifestations of ethnic hatred and violence to go unchecked. Ultranationalist forces, such as those cited above, do not display concern for human rights, and demonstrate harsh views toward minority groups. The transition toward a democratic and pluralistic society in Russia continues to proceed slowly, as does the development of an appropriate infrastructure to support economic development, law enforcement and minority rights.

This report was produced by ADL and the National Conference on Soviet Jewry.