Victims Penalized, Too

Radio B92

The Belgrade Minority Rights Centre protested the Court�s lenience towards the thugs that attacked Roma. The Municipal Misdemeanor Court in Nis decided to fine the group of skinheads that attacked the Roma settlement on February 24 with 10,000 Dinars, while the victims of the attacked were fined to 15,000 Dinars.

On the said day, about a dozen of young thugs in black leather jackets, their heads shaved clean and in combat boots, attacked the citizens of the Roma neighbourhood Beograd Mahala under the cover of the night, and broke the windows on several houses with cries: �Gipsies, You�re Dead Meat!�

The citizens called the police and a patrol came, conducted on-the-scene investigation, arrested nine assailants and sent them to the Misdemeanors Court. According to the Minority Rights Centre, the Police didn�t disclose the identity of the attackers, having in mind that most of them were older minors, not did it present other facts about the incident, in order not to compromise the investigation.

MRC immediately brought up criminal charges against the attackers on charges of inciting racial and religious hatred, but, says MRC, the competent Prosecution Office didn�t take proper action, in spite of being legally bound to do so and prosecute the case ex officio.