Sunday, April 26, 2009

Slovak Police Brutality against Roma kids (Video Included)


The policemen in the eastern city of Kosice, Slovakia forced the six Roma boys aged 11 to 16 to punch each other in the face, kiss each other and strip naked.

The officers also let loose unmuzzled dogs at the boys, and some of the children were bitten.

The policemen recorded “humiliating scenes” with their mobile phones and cameras, laughing and encouraging the children to punch each other.

Referring to the recording, the daily wrote that the police had shouted and called names at the boys and ordered them to undress. The video was released on 8 April, 2009, a day before International Roma Day, a day to raise awareness of anti-Roma discrimination.


The worst case of Slovakian police brutality against the Roma so far occurred in July 2001, when 50-year-old Karol Sendrei was taken to a police station, handcuffed to a radiator and beaten throughout the night. He was discovered dead in the morning with the post-mortem detailing damage to his vital organs from kicks and punches.

The Roma, who make up approximately 6 percent of Slovakia’s population, are targets for abuse in many Eastern and Central European countries where they are a substantial minority.They have long suffered from discrimination in areas such as jobs, education and housing, which has in some places become worse in the current economic crisis.

WATCH VIDEO


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