Homel human rights activists apply to regional executive committee and police department concerning anti-Roma publications in press

Homel human rights defenders Maryia Klimovich and Ales Yauseyenka applied to the main department of ideological work of Homel Regional Executive Committee and Homel Regional Police Department in connection with the anti-Roma publications in the newspaper of the Kastrychnitski District Police Department of Homel “Chyrvony Kastrychnik”.

As previously reported by Human Rights Center "Viasna", the edition published an article authored by the local police, in which the citizens are told to be vigilant. The article gives advice, the first of which is: "Beware of the Roma, who, under any pretext (fortune telling, selling goods, buying pets or drinking water) may try to break into your home and commit theft of money and valuables."

The newspaper also reminds: "Of particular concern in relation to the commission of crimes of this category of citizens persons of Roma ethnicity." And concluded the police wrote: "In the case of the settlements in the area of Roma people, as well as social workers, housing and utilities, which are suspicious, please immediately notify the Department of the Interior, tel. 102. "

In this regard, human rights activists ask the ideologues to point the chief editor to the inadmissibility of the publication of materials that promote Roma-phobia. They also ask the head of the police department why no distinction is made by the Romani nationals who live honestly and dishonest ones. The more that recently the newspaper “Savetski rayon” published an article citing the head of the Savetski District Police Department of Homel Aliaksandr Slesarenka, according to whom 385 Roma live in the district and last year there were registered only two crimes in which Romani nationals were suspected.