Front Line is concerned following information about email threats received on 8 February 2009 by Ms Galina Kozhevnikova, vice-director of SOVA Centre for Information and Analysis. The SOVA Centre is a Russian human rights organisation combating nationalism and xenophobia, and exploring the relations between the churches and secular society, and political radicalism in the Russian Federation.

Further Information

On 8 February 2009, Galina Kozhevnikova received an email signed by “Military terrorist organisation”, which stated that the year 2009 is going to be “full of attacks, murders and beatings.” The message was sent the day before the presentation of the SOVA Centre’s report on radical nationalism in Russia. Galina Kozhevnikova launched a complaint to the local police department, as she believes the authors of these threats come from ultra right-wing organisations.

Front Line believes that the threats against Galina Kozhevnikova are linked to her peaceful work in denouncing and combating xenophobia and racism in Russian society. Since this is not the first time that threats have been received by Galina Kozhevnikova, and in light of the recent assassination of Mr Stanislav Markelov and Ms Anastasya Baburova in Moscow, Front Line considers that all threats against Russian human rights defenders should be taken into particular consideration and thoroughly investigated.