Racist Game Reappears in Internet After Removal

01 February 2006

On June 5, 2005, the Budapest-based Roma Press Center (RSK) reported that "Oláh Action", an Internet game with the objective of killing all Roma in Hungary could once again be accessed on the Internet, despite previous police action to remove the game. The game, in which Hungary is declared "clean" and turns white after all Roma are killed, first appeared in February 2005. At that time, Budapest's Romani radio station Radio C reportedly filed a complaint with the host server, which promptly deleted the page. According to RSK, the game received over four thousand visitors in the few days that it was available. In May, the game reappeared. At that time, the RomNet Media Foundation reported the game's return to the police as an "incitement against community". However, as RSK reported, the police dropped the investigation. Lieutenant Colonel Ferenc Toth was quoted as having stated that the game does not fall within the legal concept of incitement, while admitting that the language and content of the game demonstrate contempt for the Romani community and that the pop-up text is abusive. Police ordered the game removed from the host server, but RomNet reports that it is still available on many websites. RSK reported to the ERRC on January 18, 2006, that the game, last seen online in June 2005, has since been removed from the internet.

(ERRC, RSK)