Anti-Romani Violence in Southern Russia
10 July 2002
According to the Volgograd-based Romani organisation Gypsy Association, on May 10, 2002, at approximately 5:00 PM, seven Roma were brutally attacked by approximately thirty cossacks in the town of Novopavlovsk in the Stavropol region in southern Russia. At approximately 10:00 AMon May 3, 2002,in the town of Novopavlovsk, Mr Nikolaj Gudenko, an18-year-old Romani man, accidentally hit the wheel of a parked car while riding his bicycle. Despite apologies offered by Mr Gudenko, the owner of the car, Mr V. Grachov, initiated a fight with him, which ended with the owner of the car being knocked out. Subsequently, Mr Grachovsought assistance from a local cossack leader to organise revenge. According to Gypsy Association, on May 10, 2002, local cossacks took revenge on the seven-member family of Mr A. P. Kazachenko, who had not been involved in the argument or the ensuing fight. Gypsy Association reported that around 30 cossacks attacked Mr A. P. Kazachenko and his family in their garden outside their home, allegedly using baseball bats, rubber sticks, rakes and pitchforks. Simultaneously, members of the gang allegedly blocked all roads leading to the Kazachenko family house, which created an obstacle for the police who had been called by neighbours soon after the attack started. On May 11, 2002, neighbours reported to Gypsy Association that approximately five police officers arrived at the scene, about 10 minutes after being called, but seemed reluctant to intervene. According to Gypsy Association, the attack lasted for approximately a quarter of an hour. By the time the police managed to get to the house, the physical assault had ended and the officers witnessed only verbal insults. At approximately 5:15 PM,the police reportedly called an ambulance, which arrived 10 minutes later.
According to Gypsy Association, all six members of the Kazachenko family were taken to hospital with various degrees of bodily injuries. 17-year-old Ms L.G.reportedly sustained the most serious injuries, with bruises all over her body and a laceration on her shoulder from a rake. The other victims also reportedly sustained bruising and injuries of various degrees, and some of the Roma reportedly lost teeth in the attack. Medical examinationswere reportedly carried out at the hospital on all members of the Kazachenko family to establish the injuries sustained. In the days following the incident, Gypsy Association urged the municipality of Novopavlovsk, the Prosecutor of Stavropol County and the Commissioner of the President of the Russian Federation on the Southern Federal Region to take measures to identify the perpetrators of the attack and to provide legal remedy to the victims. According to Gypsy Association, as of May 30, 2002, there was an ongoing investigation but no one had been detained in connection with the case.
(Gypsy Association)
