The incident, which took place on Saturday, February 10, in the evening hours, represents a serious excess of authority by the police, an attack on human rights, dignity and security of the Roma community and casts doubt on the ability of state authorities to effectively and fairly protect all their citizens. it is stated in the press release of the organization.
"According to reports from the field, the police raid was not only part of a regular operation in search of a suspect, but got out of control and escalated into a brutal attack on the civilian population." Members of our community witness police violence that includes physical abuse, threats, and racially targeted verbal abuse. "Such behavior is not only unacceptable, it is a serious violation of the law," the statement said.
The Roma Union of Serbia demands an urgent, transparent and impartial investigation of this case by the competent authorities.
"We ask the institutions to identify those responsible for abuse and bring them to justice." In addition, we insist that the results of the investigation be clearly and publicly announced, in order to restore citizens' trust in the judicial system," it is stated.
They warn that this incident is not an isolated case, but is part of a wider problem concerning the relationship between the police and the Roma community.
Violation of human rights at all levels
Research published last year by the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC) pointed to a series of violations of Roma human rights at all levels of the criminal justice system in Serbia.
The majority of Roma interviewed agreed that there should be greater punishment for individuals guilty of discrimination, with 80 percent of respondents supporting a punitive approach to ensure that judgments are made in a fair manner.
The research also focused on interviews with criminal lawyers, which led to the majority of defense lawyers interviewed agreeing that discriminatory attitudes towards Roma in the police and prosecution mean that Roma are more likely to be convicted of crimes.
Like similar research conducted in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and North Macedonia, the new report found that Roma are more likely to be ethnically profiled and involved in the criminal justice system than non-Roma in Serbia.
Also, almost half of the police officers interviewed for this research did not understand what discrimination is; many people think it is acceptable to break the law to get something done.
The research also coincides with the latest findings of the United Nations Committee against Torture detailing numerous and consistent guidelines for torture and ill-treatment by the police, most often to coerce confessions from individuals during interrogation.
