Two local Jewish leaders in Kherson, Ukraine accused a member of the city council of spreading antisemitic propaganda, according to a September 17, 2008 report by the AEN news agency. Aleksandr Vayner, director of the Kherson Jewish Charitable-Community Center, and Vitaly Bronshtein, chairman of the Kherson branch of the Council of Regions of the Jewish Conference of Ukraine, accused Sergey Kirichenko, a member of the Kherson city council, of antisemitic incitement. According to their accusation, Mr. Kirichenko has made several appearances on the local radio show "Vik" accusing Jews of robbing the Ukrainian people, plotting to enslave Ukrainians, and exterminate Slavs. The deputy allegedly posted "Catechism of a Jew in the USSR"--a slightly updated version of the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion"--on his web site. On September 6, Mr. Kirichenko allegedly praised the Nazi occupation of Kherson during WWII on the "Vik" radio program. Hate speech is illegal in Ukraine; it is not clear if local authorities are considering bringing charges against the deputy for his obviously illegal statements.

[HOME] [ACT] [CONNECT] [JOIN] [ABOUT] [SEARCH]