Romani Family Victim of Recurring Attacks

22 July 2005

According to ERRC research, from January 10, 2004 until January 2, 2005 Ms Olena Stefanko's family was the subject of systemic attacks of violence by non-Romani citizens of the V. Komyaty village in Uzhgorod. On August 10, 2004 around 8:00 PM several people attacked the Stefanko family home and broke the eardrum of Ms Stefanko's son. Calls made to the police by the family were ignored. The second attack occurred on November 21, 2004 at around 11:00 PM. The attackers severely damaged the house, including the fence and the electrical system leaving the family with no electricity until it was fixed at their own cost.

On January 2, 2005 at about 12:00 PM. Ms Stefanko was in her house with three of her children when six persons broke down her gate while verbally assaulting and threatening to kill Ms Stefanko and her children. The attackers also threatened to rape the females of the family. A shot was fired but none of the members of the family were injured. On January 3, 2005 Ms Stefanko submitted a written application to Vynogradiv police reporting the incident, however, the next day the family was informed that the police refused to investigate without any explanation. With the assistance of the ERRC a lawyer has been appointed to represent Ms Stefanko in action against police treatment of the family as well as the police's failure to initiate criminal proceedings. Results of an internal investigation launched by the Minister of Internal Affairs Couty Division are pending as of July 4, 2005. An article on ongoing action by the ERRC to secure Roma rights in Ukraine is included in this issue of Roma Rights.

(ERRC, Romani Yag)