Moscow police arrest 675 more migrantsOctober 19, 2013 - 17:28 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Large-scale arrests of migrants following recent clashes between the police and an angry mob of nationalists showed no sign of nearing an end in Russia at the weekend as police announced the detention of nearly 700 migrants in the Moscow Region, according to RIA Novosti. Police said 675 people from Central Asia were detained as part of Operation: Anticriminal on Friday, Oct 18, and that they had been fingerprinted and their details taken down. Officers recorded 159 violations of migration legislation, including 105 offenses punishable by deportation, police said, adding that 11 cases into forged documents and illegal entrepreneurial activity had been opened. City police chief Anatoly Yakunin said Friday that Moscow police will hold weekly operations to round up unauthorized migrants, unveiling a strategy apparently aimed at alleviating discontent over growing numbers of foreign workers in the city. The latest raids appear to be an attempt to placate the nationalist sentiment that flared up in the southern Moscow suburb of Biryulyovo last weekend over the fatal stabbing of a local man. An Azerbaijani man was arrested and charged with the murder this week. On Sunday, before the suspect had been apprehended but amid rumors the murderer was a migrant, an angry mob stormed a local vegetable warehouse and shopping center where migrants were reportedly employed, and clashed with police after rallying to demand that the murderer be caught and changes made to migration law. On Monday, police raided the vegetable warehouse and arrested over a thousand workers in what they called a preemptive crackdown on illegal migration. On the same day, the market was closed on sanitation grounds. Anti-migrant sentiment has increased in Russia over the last 10 years in reaction to a huge influx of migrant laborers from the North Caucasus and Central Asia, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin promised repeatedly to take a tough stance on migration to the Russian capital during his recent successful election campaign. However, while popular sentiment remains staunchly hostile to large-scale migration, the government is acutely aware that migrant labor is vital to the economy, as Russia's demographic profile means the number of working-age people is falling rapidly. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Power of One Dram sums up two-year program with Teach for Armenia Idram Junior also joined the companies during the visit, bringing with it a fascinating intellectual game for children Moscow slams EU mission in Armenia for “provocative activity” The EU mission is doing more and more against Armenia’s neighbors Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran, Mikhail Galuzin said. Yerevan Mayor to travel to Paris on May 15-19 The official delegation headed by Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan will travel to Paris from May 15 to 19. Armenia, India hold first defense consultations The meeting was attended by Indian Ambassador Nilakshi Saha Sinha and Defense Attaché Brigadier General Naveen Nijhawan. |