Moscow gang jailed for racist murders
A Moscow court sentenced seven young Russian men to prison today for murdering 19 people in a string of hate attacks.
Moscow City Court spokeswoman Anna Usacheva said the two leaders of a skinhead group, also convicted of 12 attempted murders, received 10-year prison sentences, the maximum possible because they were minors at the time of the attacks.
Another defendant was sentenced to 20 years, and four others to terms ranging from six to 12 years. Prosecutors said the group videotaped some attacks. They were convicted on December 2.
Experts say Russia is plagued by growing ethnic violence. Semyon Charny of the Moscow Bureau of Human Rights said there have been at least 110 murders motivated by ethnic hatred this year, up from 74 last year.
