Human rights activists to discuss violations of Gipsies' rights in Russia

On April 8 - the International Gipsies Day - at 11:00 a.m., the Sakharov Public Centre (57-6 Zemlyanoy Val) in St-Petersburg will host a press conference on the problem of human rights reaction to violations of the rights of Gipsies-residents of the Russian Federation.

The press release of the Antidiscrimination Centre (ADC) "Memorial", which has arrived to the "Caucasian Knot", runs that recently the above topic has been loudly discussed in media: various opinions are expressed; sometimes, both Gypsies and the human rights activists dealing with their problems are insulted. The organizers of the press conference want to debate on the issue and have the problems objectively covered.

The website of the ADC "Memorial" gives examples of typical situations. Thus, in late January this year, the on duty lady-servant of the Vladimir-Dostoevsky metro station in St-Petersburg made the following radio announcement for the passengers: "Take care, Gipsies are here!" Several Petersburg-based news agencies and papers made reports on the incident.

The ADC "Memorial" sent a letter to metro bosses and emphasized inadmissibility of statements that infringe rights and dignity of national minorities. The answer signed by A. K. Semyonov, head of the revenue collection service, said that metro top managers held an extraordinary briefing to all the employees on the rules and texts of the announcements they make. They were strictly warned that such messages to passengers are inadmissible, and the then on duty controller L. A. Loshakova was deprived of her January bonuses.

Another story refers to the town of Opochka, Pskov Region, and dates back to last summer. Antonina Sukhovskaya, a resident of the town, found a leaflet hung out in a prominent place with a text kindling enmity to local residents-Gipsies. It was found out during the investigation that the leaflets with the xenophobic text had been made by Opochka residents A. Leonova and A. Krylov, who just wanted, as they assured later, to take revenge on their friends and colleagues.

The Opochka inter-district investigatory division of the Investigatory Committee of the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) for the Pskov Region refused to initiate a criminal case on the fact, and when Ms Sukhovskaya complained against this refusal, the Criminal Panel of the Pskov Regional Court refused to satisfy her complaint.

The ADC "Memorial" notes in this context that since the judicial authorities of Pskov and Pskov Region refuse to go on with official consideration of the incident, the case can be submitted to the European Court on Human Rights.