Russian lawyer started neo-Nazi group

A Russian court found a lawyer guilty of creating a neo-Nazi group and sentenced him to four years in prison.The court in the Siberian city of Yekaterinburg found Russian lawyer Sergei Kotov guilty under the country’s little-used hate crimes statute.Kotov had created “The People’s National Party” in 2003 and recruited 38 members to distribute extremist literature and help organize a series of racially tinged public meetings, according to the Web site Nakanune.ru.The People’s National Party is one of the most visible fascist groups in Russia and has been linked to violent attacks across the country. The party, illegal in Russia, is estimated to have between 10,000 and 15,000 members.