Romani Inmate Ill-Treated in Serbia and Montenegro

07 February 2004

According to a June 18, 2003 press release of the Belgrade-based non-governmental organisation Humanitarian Law Center (HLC), a Romani inmate of the Novi Sad District Prison complained, in a written statement to the HLC, that he was frequently subjected to verbal abuse by prison guards because of his ethnicity. The inmate wrote, "Right after my arrival in prison, the commander told me: 'Now I'm going to fuck your Muslim Gypsy mother', then slapped me," the HLC reported. In a letter dated April 11, 2003, the HLC requested approval from the Serbian Ministry of Justice to perform inspection visits to detainees and convicts in the Republic of Serbia. On December 15, 2003, the HLC informed the ERRC that, with the exception of verbal assurances immediately after it initially sent its request, it had not received a response.

(HLC)