Nationalist Socialist Society attacked the Muslims and the dark-skinned immigrants during 2007-2008. At trial, they were chatting with each other, taunting the judge and give the Nazi greeting with hands shackled, the Interfax news agency reported. One convict even shouted, "Our belief is above the law and we will return" when the verdict was read.
The court that has lasted for 18 months hunting down the people in Moscow who seem beasal of South Asia, Africa and Muslims from the Caucasus region and attacked them brutally. The leader of the racist group, Let Molotkov defend themselves not guilty and the judge called it Tkachuk Nikolai extraordinary danger to the Russian society.
A total of 12 people found guilty of charges of murder, inciting racial hatred, terrorism efforts, and participated in acts of extremism. Molotkov and four other defendants sentenced to life imprisonment along with seven colleagues sentenced to prison terms of between 10 to 23 years.
Meanwhile, a group member who surrendered to police and cooperate in the investigation got a suspended sentence of eight years. Party lawyers say the suspects they were brainwashed by the ideology of the Nazis and forced to commit crimes. Another reason is that they were tortured to confess his crimes.
Alexander Kolodkin, whose son was stabbed to death in 2008, said the defense was not relevant to convict. "Whether tricked or memory loss, they are vicious killers who would not be able to return to normal life," he said. Kolodkin also suggested that the prisoners were convicted in an isolated cell.
In recent years, an increase in racist attacks in Moscow and in several other Russian cities. Authorities have banned neo-Nazi groups like the Nationalist Socialist Society but rights groups accuse the policy was too soft to handle hate crimes.