Boris campaigning for an International Arms Trade Treaty

Leaflets inciting violence against human rights defender Boris Maksovich Kreindl and his family have been distributed in the city of Tomsk, including at the building where he has his office. Those responsible are believed to be people who object to his campaigning on behalf of Roma.

Boris Maksovich Kreindl is the head of the Commission for Human Rights Tomsk Region, an NGO that is working to defend the rights of a community of Romani people in the town of Iskitim, in Novosibirsk region, which borders Tomsk region.

Boris has also been active in the Control Arms campaign in Russia.

Click here to find out more about the threats against Boris.

Amnesty International recommends the following action:

Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, Russian or your own language:

1. urging the Director of the Department for the Fight against Organized Crime to fully and promptly investigate who is behind the leaflets, smearing human rights defender Boris Maksovich Kreindl and issuing death threats against his daughter;

2. calling on the Governor of Tomsk Region to publicly express support for the work of the Commission on Human Rights Tomsk Region and to condemn any act of harassment of human rights defenders;

3. reminding the authorities that any form of racist or prejudicial statements against a whole community should be vigorously and publicly opposed by them.

Please send appeals to:

1. Director of the Department for the Fight against Organized Crime and terrorism
Lieutenant-General Nikolai Aleksandrovich Ovchinnikov
Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation
Ul. Sadovaia-Spasskaia d. 1/2
Moscow
109078
Russian Federation

Fax: +7 495 2048855
Salutation: Dear Lieutenant-General

2. Governor of Tomsk Region
Viktor M. Kress
Administration of Tomsk Region
Pl. Lenina 6
Tomsk
634050
Russian Federation

Fax: +7 382 2 510-323
Email: ato@tomsk.gov.ru
Salutation: Dear Governor

Please send copies to:

Ombudsman of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Lukin
ul. Miasnitskaia 47
103084
Moscow
Russian Federation

Fax: +7 095 207 7630

and to diplomatic representatives of Russian Federation accredited to your country.