Popular Russian taxi company GetTaxi has provoked the ire of a Kremlin-backed human rights watchdog and its own customers for Russifying the names of its drivers with Asian or Caucasus roots.
"This shows a lack of respect for the ethnic groups that live on the territory of the Russian Federation and neighboring countries," Alexander Brod, а member of the Presidential Human Rights Council, said in comments carried by the Govorit Moskva radio station on Saturday, adding that the practice was "unethical."
A recent Facebook post by Moscow State University ethnologist Dmitry Oparin drew attention to the company's controversial practice.
"I'd like to know who is behind GetTaxi's recent initiative of changing the Asian or Caucasus names of their drivers," Oparin wrote on Friday. "Who decided that Damir would be Daniil, and Yerdzhanik — Yevgeny? The drivers themselves don't even know their own nicknames. This is worse than a taxi company advertising that all its drivers are Slavs."
In an interview published on the website of the Open Russia foundation, a representative of the company admitted that it modifies names that are "difficult to read." He also added that GetTaxi would reverse its automatic Russification of drivers' names if a certain driver objects to his name being changed.
The company's founder, Shakhar Vaiser, told news site The Village on Saturday that the initiative had been an "experiment" to see whether Russified names improved clients' perception of the taxi service's quality. Vaiser also said the company would consider whether to abandon or maintain the practice.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
