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World Jewish News
Court ignores calls for hate crimes charges
28.07.2009
The Jewish Community of Ukraine is outraged by a court decision not to charge a man found guilty of attacking a rabbi with hate crimes.
A Sevastopol court on July 21 found Roman Shvedov, 41, guilty of "hooliganism" and gave him a suspended sentenced of four years in prison for a September 2007 attack on Rabbi Benjamin Wolf. Wolf, the chief rabbi of Sevastopol, was on his way home from synagogue on a Friday night, dressed in traditional Chasidic garb, when Shvedov began shouting anti-Semitic threats at the rabbi and then beat him. The rabbi suffered a broken nose and concussion. The attacker also deliberately ripped up the rabbi's clothes before fleeing the scene.
On Oct. 1, 2007 local police arrested Shvedov and routinely classified the attack as a case of "hooliganism."
In spite of local Jewish community appeals to add to the indictment a hate crime charge, punishable under Ukrainian law by additional prison time, the Sevastopol court on July 21 convicted Shvedov of "hooliganism," but agreed that he could remain out of prison on condition that he not perpetrate any new crime during the next three years and that he remain in the area. The court also ordered Shvedov to pay the victim 5,000 Hryvnia, or about $ 625.
According to the court, Shvedov pleaded guilty and repented sincerely.
Wolf told JTA that the Jewish community is outraged by the court's decision and insists that the suspect be charged with interethnic and interfaith incitement because
Shvedov was motivated by hatred of Jews, focusing on the rabbi's external appearance.
Hate crime legislation is still very rarely applied in Ukraine.
Источник: JTA
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