Right-wing extremism: Central council warns against attacks against Roma in Ukraine

According to the Central Council of the German Sinti and Roma, the murder of a 24-year-old in Lviv is attributable to extreme right. Ukraine must protect Roma better.

Right-wing extremism: Central council warns against attacks against Roma in Ukraine

The Central Council of German Sinti and Roma makes right-extremists responsible for several attacks on Roma in Ukraine. The murder of a 24-year-old on Saturday in Lviv (Lviv) was "fifth pogrom of right-wing extremist groups against Roma" during last two months, Central Council in Heidelberg shared. In part, raids would be filmed and put on Internet.

"It seems as if murders and acts of violence against Roma in Ukraine and in Europe should become normal", central councillor Romani Rose criticised. He called on Ukraine to ensure protection of Roma. At same time, Central Council appealed to international community to condemn antiziganism as clearly as anti-Semitism.

At weekend, it was known that Lviv had a group of batons and knives to go to a Roma camp. According to police, 24-year-old died of injuries he had suffered through several severe stab wounds.

Among injured were a ten-year-old Roma boy and a 30-year-old woman. The boy had already been released from hospital, it was said. Seven suspected perpetrators aged between 16 and 17 and 20-year-old suspected planner of attack were arrested. Wher attackers are part of a radical union was initially unclear. The police initiated investigations for murder.

Increasing attacks on Roma

As police chief Sergei Kniasew said, re have been more and more attacks on Roma in recent times. In a similar incident in April, a group of neo-Nazis burned a Roma tent city in capital Kiev. The attackers made with stones and pepper spray hunting for women and small children. The police, according to ir own data, did not investigate because no one filed a complaint.

In June, several human rights groups turned in an open letter to government in Kiev and called for reconnaissance of attacks. Thus, right-wing radical groups were responsible for at least 24 attacks this year alone. The Council of Europe estimates that around 260,000 Roma live in Ukraine.

Date Of Update: 26 June 2018, 12:02