THE GENERAL Prosecutor’s Office will look into the controversial police raid in the Roma settlement in Moldava nad Bodvou which left several people injured and attracted the attention of Slovak and international human rights watchdogs.
Deputy General Prosecutor Peter Šufliarsky ordered a disciplinary proceeding against the prosecutor who was assigned the case of Ernest R., a man suffering from mental illness whom the police kept in custody without legal grounds, the Sme daily reported.
Ernest R., the second Roma detained from the Budulovská settlement, was held in custody by the police for more than two months despite a health report reading that he is not capable of understanding the consequences of a crime and that he posed no threat to society. Šufliarsky has meanwhile ordered an inquiry into information published by the media on his custody, according to Sme.
Ernest R. was suspected of throwing stones at policemen in the settlement in Moldava nad Bodvou. He was kept in custody for almost two and a half months even after a psychiatrist wrote in an expert opinion that he should be released immediately.
The investigator added the psychiatrist's opinion to Ernest R's file three weeks after it was prepared, according to Sme.
Roma from the settlement believe the altercation involving Ernest R. to be the reason behind the police raid in their settlement that followed afterwards.
Source: Sme
Compiled by Michaela Terenzani from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
presented in its Flash News postings.
