Romani Families Victims of Pogrom in Russia

22 July 2005

Boris Kreyndel, chairperson of the Tomsk regional human rights commission, informed the ERRC that in Iskitim, Novosibirsk Oblast, on February 14, 2005, approximately twenty individuals attacked and burned a number of Romani houses in that village. According to reports, the assailants, who reportedly arrived in several jeeps and departed by the same means, managed to destroy entirely around ten dwellings in the course of the attack. Before leaving, the attackers threatened to return and burn more homes. Romani inhabitants of Iskitim whose houses were destroyed are reportedly now living with relatives; many other inhabitants left out of fear. The incident has resulted in the almost complete expulsion of the entirety of the approximately 400-person Romani community of Iskitim from the town. According to the information received by the ERRC, law enforcement officials failed to undertake any action to prevent the arson although they had reportedly been aware of the attacks on the Roma. Five persons have reportedly been arrested in connection with the attacks, and ten more are being sought by police.

On February 21, 2005, the ERRC wrote to the Prosecutor of the Novosibirsk Region in relation to the violent arson attacks on the Romani houses. The full text of the letter to the Prosecutor is available on ERRC's website at: http://www.errc.org/uploads/upload_en/file/01/42/m00000142.doc.

(ERRC)