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FJCR calls on Ukrainian authorities to expand definition of anti-Semitism

Moscow, September 23, Interfax - The definition of anti-Semitism contained in the law adopted by Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada on September 22 is incomplete, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia (FJCR) said.

"There is no doubt that the appearance and approval of a bill on countering anti-Semitism is a positive thing. Regardless of whether there are tendencies in the country's society towards a fight against extremism or not, any illegal actions, from offenses to crimes, need to be regulated by law," FJCR President Alexander Boroda told Interfax on Thursday.

Meanwhile, he said there is still no understanding of anti-Semitism as a clear term recognized by all countries.

The new Ukrainian law classes as acts of anti-Semitism calls for, justification of and the infliction of harm on Jews based on ethnic origin. It classes as extremism hate speech and Holocaust denial and prohibits public use of materials with anti-Semitic content.

"However, situations are widespread when former Nazi assistants are called national heroes. Shouldn't such statements also be classed as extremist and anti-Semitic?" Rabbi Boroda said.

He also said the new Ukrainian law classes desecration of memorial symbols devoted to Jews as anti-Semitism. However, the rabbi said "memory is also kept in the form of intangible spiritual values, which also need to be protected, and glorification of historical personalities who were directly involved in pogroms and genocide distorts the moral evaluation of historical events and insults the memory of Holocaust victims."

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