MINELRES: ERRC: NGOs Urge Macedonian Authorities to Investigate Death of Romani Youth
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Sun Jun 18 10:34:46 2006
riginal sender: European Roma Rights Centre <[email protected]>
Romani Youth Last Seen Alive While Being Chased by Police
16 June 2006, Budapest, Skopje. The European Roma Rights Centre
(ERRC) and the National Roma Centrum (NRC) sent a letter to Dr. Vlado
Buckovski, Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia expressing
grave concern about the recent death of a Romani youth named Trajan
Bekirov, and urging that Macedonian authorities to carry out a
prompt, thorough and effective investigation. Copies of the letter
were also sent to Ms. Meri Mladenovska Gjorgjievska, Minister of
Justice, Mr. Ljubomir Mihajlovski, Minister of Interior, and Mr.
Aleksandar Prcevski, Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Macedonia.
Seventeen-year-old Trajan Bekirov was last seen alive after
Macedonian police "Alfi" units chased him and his friend, Orhan
Isemi, on 11 May 2006. His body was discovered on 28 May 2006 in the
river Vardar near the village of Tubarevo. The Institute for Judicial
Medicine carried out an autopsy, the result of which is still
unknown. A criminal investigation is reportedly open, but as of the
date of this letter, no results have been made public. Media articles
in Macedonia have featured sensational allegations, such as the
contention that Trajan Bekirov's organs may have been stolen. Trajan
Bekirov's parents believe the initial police chase was influenced by
racial considerations. They also allege an anti-Romani bias among
Macedonian authorities.
The ERRC/NRC letter urges the respective authorities to undertake any
and all measures available to ensure a swift, full, thorough and
effective investigation into the death of Trajan Bekirov, and that
any and all perpetrators involved in illegal actions in connection
with his death be swiftly brought to justice. The organisations urge
further that authorities investigate the possibility of racial motive
or animus in the circumstances leading to and/or surrounding Trajan
Bekirov's death, in addition to seeking to determine whether other
forms of wrongdoing have taken place. The results of the
investigation, including that of the autopsy, should be transparent,
and set to rest any and all open questions surrounding these events.
The full text of the ERRC/NRC letter is available here:
Honourable Prime Minister Buckovski,
The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) is a Budapest-based
international public interest law organization aimed at combating
anti-Romani racisms and human rights abuse of Roma. The National Roma
Centrum (NRC) is a professional non-governmental organization located
in Kumanovo, Macedonia, with the aim of representing and stimulating
the active participation and integration of Romani people on the
principles of the modern multiethnic European society. The ERRC and
NRC are writing to express grave concern about the recent death of a
Romani youth named Trajan Bekirov, and to urge that Macedonian
authorities carry out a prompt, thorough and effective investigation.
Seventeen-year-old Trajan Bekirov was last seen alive after
Macedonian police "Alfi" units chased him and his friend, Orhan
Isemi, on 11 May 2006. His body was discovered on 28 May 2006 in the
Vardar river near the village of Tubarevo. The Institute for Judicial
Medicine carried out an autopsy, the result of which is still
unknown. A criminal investigation is reportedly open, but as of the
date of this letter, no results have been made public. Media articles
in Macedonia have featured sensational allegations, such as the
contention that Trajan Bekirov's organs may have been stolen.
Honourable Prime Minister Buckovski,
The European Court of Human Right's case law and other international
legal standards require a prompt and effective official investigation
where there are potential violations of the European Convention on
Human Rights. Further positive obligations arise where there is a
possibility that racial animus may have influenced events,
implicating the Convention's ban on discrimination.
States Parties to the Convention including Macedonia - have a
positive obligation to immediately investigate alleged violations of
the European Convention. Such an obligation also arises by
implication under Article 1, where the State must secure the "rights
and freedoms of the Convention". In Nachova v. Bulgaria, a case
decided recently, the Court held that the Bulgarian authorities had
violated the obligation under Article 2 by failing to investigate the
deaths of two Roma men. Furthermore, in Assenov v. Bulgaria, the
Court reiterated the principles of effectiveness of an investigation,
that is there must be an official "investigation leading to
identification and punishment of those responsible". In the present
case, a youth of Romani origin died in suspicious circumstances after
a police chase. Since his life has ended and his family alleged
possible police abuse before his death, it is imperative that the
responsible authorities commence and carry out a prompt, thorough and
effective investigation.
Several international standards emphasize the necessity of conducting
an investigation to give meaning to the articles of the Convention.
For example, the UN Convention against Torture (CAT) sets out that
States are required to provide any individual who alleges that he has
been subjected to torture the right to complain to the authorities.
Such a person also has the right to have his case promptly and
impartially examined. Furthermore, the European Committee for the
Prevention of Torture has stated that where a country refuses to
investigate allegations of torture, that country undermines "the very
foundation of a democratic society". Thus, such an investigation is
needed to protect the rights guaranteed under the Convention.
The obligation to investigate is even more pressing where potential
Convention violations may have a racial motivation. Under Article 14
of the Convention, everyone's rights must be protected from
discrimination on the basis of race and other grounds. Trajan
Bekirov's parents believe the initial police chase was influenced by
racial considerations. They also allege an anti-Romani bias among
Macedonian authorities. Thus, a thorough investigation should begin
at once, to allay any suspicion of racial bias, and to avoid the
manifestation of an Article 14 violation.
In addition, the matter of police abuse and impunity has long been a
particular concern for the Romani community in Macedonia.
Organizations such as Human Rights Watch have documented the growing
and unresolved problem of police violence. In a 2003 report, Human
Rights Watch noted that police in Macedonia "continue to perpetuate
racially motivated abuses against the Roma with impunity". In a
report released in September 2004 on Macedonia, the European
Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment (CPT) stated that "the inaction of judges,
public prosecutors and investigating police officers has fostered a
climate in which law enforcement officials minded to ill-treat
persons have come to believe with very good reasons that they can do
so with impunity". The European Commission Against Racism and
Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe has further observed
that, in Macedonia, "Issues of discrimination and intolerance are not
adequately recognised and confronted".
Honourable Prime Minister Buckovski,
We urge you to undertake any and all measures within the powers
available to your office to ensure a swift, full, thorough and
effective investigation into the death of Trajan Bekirov, and that
any and all perpetrators involved in illegal actions in connection
with his death be swiftly brought to justice. We urge further that
authorities investigate the possibility of racial motive or animus in
the circumstances leading to and/or surrounding Trajan Bekirov's
death, in addition to seeking to determine whether other forms of
wrongdoing have taken place. The results of the investigation,
including that of the autopsy, should be transparent, and set to rest
any and all open questions surrounding these events.
Yours sincerely,
Dimitrina Petrova (ERRC) and Asmet Elezovski (NRC)
For further information on the case, please contact:
Asmet Elezovski (NRC) [email protected] +389-31-427-558
Anita Danka (ERRC) [email protected] +36-1-413-2200
Persons wishing to express similar concerns on the Trajan Bekirov
case are urged to direct communication to:
Dr. Vlado Buckovski
Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia
Fax: +389-2-311-80-22
Ms. Meri Mladenovska Gjorgjievska
Minister of Justice of Republic of Macedonia
Dimitrie Cupovski Street, 9, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia
Fax: +389 23 226 975
Mr. Ljubomir Mihajlovski
Minister of Interior
Dimce Mircev Street, bb, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia
Fax: +389 23 112 468
Mr. Aleksandar Prcevski
Public Prosecutor
Krste Misirkov Street, bb, 1000 Skopje, Macedonia
Fax: +389 23 219 866
_________________________________________
The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) is an international public
interest law organization engaging in a range of activities aimed at
combating anti-Romani racism and human rights abuse of Roma, in
particular strategic litigation, international advocacy, research and
policy development, and training of Romani activists. For more
information about the European Roma Rights Centre, visit the ERRC
website at http://www.errc.org.
European Roma Rights Centre
1386 Budapest 62
P.O. Box 906/93
Hungary
Tel.: ++ (36 1) 413 2200
Fax: ++ (36 1) 413 2201
E-mail: [email protected]
_________________________________________
The National Roma Centrum (NRC) is a professional non-governmental
organization, which represents and stimulates the active
participation and integration of Romani people on the principles of
the modern multiethnic European society. Its activities focus on
human rights, lobbying, education and employment.
National Roma Centrum
Done Bozinov 11/5, 1 300
Kumoanovo
Tel/fax: +389-31-427-558
E-mail: [email protected],
[email protected]
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