Nikita S. Khrushchev, Prime Minister of the Soviet Union, denied here today that “there is any anti-Semitism in Russia.” The rejection of such charges by the Premier came in a letter to Bertrand Russell, Nobel Frize winning philosopher, who had written to Mr. Khrushchev to protest the execution of Soviet Jews convicted of alleged “economic crimes.”
In his reply, received by the Soviet Embassy here today and relayed, after translation, to Mr. Russell, Premier Khrushchev admitted that “some Jews had been executed.” But, he added, “so were people of other races.”
“Punishment in Russia, ” stated Mr. Khrushchev, “depends on the crime and has no relation whatsoever to the race of the criminal. Any advocacy of anti-Semitism, is punishable by law.”
The USSR Embassy indicated that it may release the full text of Mr. Khrushchev’s letter to Mr. Russell tomorrow.
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