“Pravoslavnaya Iniciativa” Issues Two More Anti-Semitic Books

Minsk publishing office of the close enterprise “Pravoslavnaya Iniciativa” (“Orthodox Initiative”), which is well-known by its book “War on Villainy Terms” (that was found insulting by Belarusian Jews and was a subject of many trials), issued two similar books.

One can buy the new books in the bookstore “Pravoslavnaya Iniciativa” in the center of Minsk. The first of them is “How They Make One Anti-Semite” by Andrey Jurayev. It is decorated with straightly anti-Semitic cartoons, such as a picture of fascism and Zionism as two branches of the same tree. The second book is entitled “There are no bad people’s”. It states, for instance, that the system of the first years of the Soviet rule was built after Jewish community. The books were signed for printing in February and March.

-- “Pravoslavnaya Iniciativa” issued two exceptionally terrible anti-Semitic editions, with anti-Semitic cartoons that seem to be taken from the Nazi magazine “Sturmer”. They again write of ritual murder of the Russian royal family and “Zion Protocols”, -- said vice-head of the Union of Jewish organizations Yakaw Basin.

He also said that in November 2003 and February 2004 the Union of Jewish organizations complained against “Pravoslavnaya Iniciativa” for fomenting of national enmity. The complaints concerned the case when anti-Semitic production was distributed at a Cossack assembly. However, neither Belarusian Prosecutor’s Office nor the Committee on National and Religious Cases found anything wrong with the mentioned publications and Minsk exarchate of Russian Orthodox Church is not going to stop the printing.

The Ministry of Information recommended the union to apply to court. However, Jewish activists have already gone through all instances, asking to punish “Pravoslavnaya Iniciativa” for “War on Villainy Terms”. All courts found this book to be of scientific nature, so there’s little hope to restore justice this way.

At present Belarusian Jewish organizations prepare an application to Belarusian Prosecutor’s Office on the fact of publication of new anti-Semitic books. Since autumn 2003 the prosecutor’s office has investigated into the facts of anti-Semitic editions of “Pravoslavnaya Iniciativa”, but there are still no results. The impunity lets the editors continue, -- assures Yakaw Basin.

Information Department of HRC “Viasna”