By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – A Russian judge who had earlier this year sentenced a number of ultra-nationalist leaders for murder and hate crimes was fatally shot today in Moscow.

Eduard Chuvashov, a Moscow City Circuit judge, was killed in what is believed to be a contracted killing in a stairway in the apartment building.  According to initial police reports, the assailant used a gun equipped with a silencer and collected the spent bullet shells.  Chuvashov was shot once both in his chest and head.

It is believed that the growing neo-Nazi and ultra-nationalist movement is responsible for this killing.  In recent weeks, many of these nationalist groups called for Chuvashov’s death on their websites.

Just last week Chuvashov had sentenced two members of the Ryno Gang to significant prison terms for their role in killing twenty migrant workers.  This past February, Chuvashov oversaw the trial of nine members of a organized gang known as the White Wolves, who had also attacked and killed eleven similar victims from central Asian countries.

In response to the killing, Russian President Dimitry Medvedev declared that “everything will be done so that the organizers and perpetrators of this cynical murder be found and punished.”

In recent years Russia has experienced a significant rise in violent acts perpetrated by neo-Nazi and far-right ultra-nationalist groups.  Approximately 60 people were killed and 306 injured in hate crimes last year, according to a Russian hate-crimes watchdog group.  Last year one of the lawyers who helped bring the White Wolves defendants to trial was killed in Moscow.

Chuvashov’s killing has raised questions about whether Russia’s ultra-nationalist groups are targeting political and legal leaders who attempt to punish them for their attacks on migrants. “[Cheuvashov’s death] could be retribution from far-right groups” stated Allison Gill of Human Rights Watch.

For more information, please see:

AP – Moscow judge who sentenced neo-Nazis shot to death – 12 April, 2010

DEUTSCHE WELLE – Russian judge murdered in Moscow – 12 April, 2010

TELEGRAPH – Russian judge gunned down in ‘neo-Nazi’ revenge killing – 12 April, 2010

REUTERS – Moscow judge who sentenced neo-fascists shot dead – 12 April, 2010

RT – Russian judge killed in Moscow, police cite race hate motives – 12 April, 2010