Editor of state-owned newspaper in Mazyr warned over humiliation of Roma

Deputy Chairman of the executive committee of Mazyr district issued a warning to the editor-in-chief of the local government-run newspaper “Zhytssio Palessia” over repeated publications humiliating the Roma community.

Homel human rights activist Maryia Klimovich received a reply to her appeal to the Prosecutor of Mazyr district in which she expressed her concern about discrimination against the Roma ethnic group in the official district newspaper. The periodical published an article based on police data, in which the offenders were characterized according to their nationality.

However, the response came from the Prosecutor, instead of the Deputy Chairman of the executive committee, Fiodar Haliuk. He writes that the chief editor of the newspaper received explanations on the inadmissibility of specifying in public statements details of racial, ethnic and religious characteristics of criminals and offenders, as well as abusing national feelings and inciting xenophobia.

The Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee also thanked the human rights for her active citizenship.

“But I am not happy with this decision on the case; as a matter of fact, the case is not resolved. It was the editor who received instructions, but we did not only complain about the editor, but also – and primarily – about the police, which has been engaged in acts of discrimination against members of the Roma diaspora. As a result, our complaint was forwarded to Mazyr district executive committee. The Chairman of the executive committee limited himself to holding an explanatory conversation with the editor. Well, of course, it is good that the journalists have been warned, it is hoped that they will not do such blunders any more. But it seems that the Prosecutor’s Office does not care about the citizens of Roma ethnicity,” says Maryia Klimovich.