US Congressman Christopher Smith on April 19 criticised last week’s decision by a Slovak investigator to charge Roma journalist Denisa Havrľová with verbally attacking a public official. The incident occurred in February, and involved a policeman from the east Slovak village of Jarovnice who refused to give his hand to Havrľová and reportedly asked her if she had a hygiene certificate. The investigator charged Havrľová based on allegations by a witness that she had demanded to know if the policeman had refused to shake her hand because she was a Roma.
Compiled by Tom Nicholson from press reports.
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