21 dead in racially motivated attacks in Russia in 2009

"The number of racially motivated attacks increased fourfold in the past five years. There were no less than 293 attacks in 2008, which killed 122 persons and wounded 380. There were 67 attacks in the first three months of this year, which killed 21 persons and injured 65," he said.

The majority of assaults were committed in the Moscow region, the St Petersburg area and Nizhny Novgorod.

Churches, synagogues and mosques continue to be violated, Brod said.

"There are so-called 'Russian' marches, which speculate on patriotic feelings," he said.

The public has developed a phobia of migrants. "The government should clearly define its needs for foreign labour force and strictly regulate the labor market," he said.

"Twenty-two percent of respondents in a recent poll said that migrants must be gone, and twenty-one percent said that migrants must be isolated. Unfortunately, the cruel treatment of migrants has become a norm," he added.