June 2013 - UCSJ

UCSJ Strongly Condemns Moscow Attack Against Russian NGO Office

June 26, 2013June 26, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

The Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union (UCSJ) strongly objects to the armed attack against the All-Russia Movement For Human Rights' central office at Maly Kislovsky street in downtown Moscow on June 21, 2013. That evening, the FSB, Police and OMON officers and soldiers stormed their office,…

New Memorial Complex to Be Built at Babi Yar Massacre Site

June 25, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

The World Forum of Russian-speaking Jews (WFRJ) announced on Sunday that a new memorial complex will be built at Babi Yar, the Ukrainian site in which approximately 50,000 Jews were massacred by Nazis during the Holocaust, The Times of Israel reports. WRFJ President Alexander Levin presented a model of the…

Latvia Bans Public Display of Soviet and Nazi Symbols

June 25, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

The Associated Press reports that Latvia's Parliament has banned the public display of Soviet and Nazi symbols, as well as any promotion of fascist or communist ideologies. This includes visual displays of swastikas and the hammer and sickle and the singing of Soviet or Nazi anthems. It is expected to…

U.S. State Dept Report Cites Russia, Uzbekistan as Among Worst in Human Trafficking

June 20, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

The U.S. State Department's annual report listed Russia, Uzbekistan and China as countries that have made the worst efforts to combat human trafficking, Reuters reports. They have fallen to Tier 3, which is the lowest level, placing them in the same category as North Korea and Iran. The report states…

Putin Hopes Move of Jewish Religious Archives Resolves Dispute

June 14, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

RIA Novosti – Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope on Thursday that moving the disputed collection of Jewish religious texts to the newly built Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow puts the issue to rest. A complex legal dispute over the so-called Schneerson Library has turned into a full-scale diplomatic…

Human Right Watch– “Foreign Agents” Law Hits Hundreds of NGOs: Updated June 10, 2013

June 13, 2013June 13, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

From Human Rights Watch-- Starting in early March 2013 the Russian government launched a nationwide campaign of inspections of nongovernmental organizations, unprecedented in its scale and scope. The inspections were highly extensive, disruptive, invasive, and often intimidating. To date, hundreds of organizations in different regions of Russia have been subject…

Stop the Persecution of Maxim Efimov

June 10, 2013June 10, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

Maxim Efimov is a chairman of the Karelian regional branch of the inter-regional youth social charity organization “Youth Human Rights Group (YHRG).” The Karelian branch of YHRG implements human rights protection programs and supports civic initiatives, in particular youth-oriented projects. On 5 April 2012 the criminal case № 012012120035…

Limmud FSU Conference Held in Vitebsk, Belarus

June 7, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

From JPost: VITEBSK, Belarus – The latest incarnation of Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) took place for the first time in Belarus over the weekend, one of the most storied countries in Jewish history. Once home to a thriving Jewish community decimated by World War II, Belarus produced nine Israeli…

The Passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg

June 5, 2013June 5, 2013 by UCSJ

UCSJ

We at the Union of Councils for Jews in the former Soviet Union are saddened by the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg. He was a devoted public servant and a friend of all those around the world fleeing from religious discrimination; in particular, the millions of Jews from the former Soviet…