Police Abuse Romani Youth in Macedonia

29 July 2004

On April 14, 2004, Dehran Rusitovski, a 15-year-old Romani boy, was physically attacked by a police officer near the Sredorek Romani settlement in the eastern Macedonian city of Kumanovo, according to the Kumanovo-based Romani organisation Roma Com-munity Center Drom (DROM). DROM informed the ERRC that at around 11:45 PM on the date in question, Dehran Rusitovski was near the Sredorek Romani settlement with his sister Djulten when a police officer saw them and immediately began to brutally beat Dehran. The officer reportedly beat Dehran until he lost consciousness. After a short while, the officer brought Dehran to the police station where he continued to beat him while verbally abusing him. According to DROM, Dehran was only released from police custody when his father arrived at the police station. 

(DROM)