Interfax - 03.17.2006

Russian Jewish federation criticizes book fair for nationalist propaganda

MOSCOW - (Interfax) - The Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia has criticized the organizers of the 9th National Fair The Books of Russia, demanding to know how xenophobes and nationalists had been allowed to take part in the event.

"The Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia considers inadmissible the fact that the main book fair of multinational and multi-confessional Russia is being used as a showcase for the propaganda of ethnic discord and hatred," the federation said in a release published on Friday.

The federation protested against the participation in the fair of such publishing houses as Russkaya Pravda [The Russian Truth] and Algorithm.

"These organizations are constantly publishing openly xenophobic and Anti-Semitist books, and now they are presenting them at the country's main book fair," the release said.

The federation expects law enforcement to pay attention to attempts by these publishing houses "to sow national and inter-religious hostility," the release said.