Foreign workers under threat in Russia

Most of the deaths are a result of unsafe work conditions at construction sites, mines, and other work sites that employ labourers from nations such as Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan. But many of those deaths are also allegedly the result of attacks carried out by Russian ultra-nationalists. In one instance, a Tajik was captured and publicly beheaded by skinheads, who filmed the murder with a cell phone and posted the video online.

International human rights groups have accused the Russian media of ignoring the deaths. In an open letter to the UN, the Russian government, and the Council of Europe, Tajik leaders called on outside observers to take steps to limit the influence of “xenophobic sentiments” and “nationalist extremism” in the country.

Attacks on foreign workers are being blamed on a wave of anti-immigrant sentiments, including a growing neo-Nazi movement, in Russia. Recently, a crowd of about 5,000 marched through a Moscow suburb chanting “Russia for Russians” and shouting racial slurs aimed at Jews and Muslims. Many raised their hands in the Nazi salute, an illegal gesture in a number of European countries.

In addition to on-the-ground threats against immigrants and non-Russian ethnic minorities, Russian lawmakers have proposed legislation aimed at curbing immigration and the influx of guest workers from neighbouring nations. Currently Russia hosts about 4-6 million guest workers, and immigration reform is set to be a key campaign issue in parliamentary elections this December.

Erica Marat, a Central Asia researcher with the Jamestown Foundation, joins the show in-studio to discuss the status of guest workers in Russia. Also on The Stream via Skype is Madeleine Reeves, a social anthropologist at the University of Manchester.

What do you think of anti-immigrant sentiments in Russia? Send us your thoughts and comments on Facebook or Twitter using hashtag #AJStream.

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