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Still no answers on five Roma deaths

By Liz Fekete

1 December 1996

Amnesty International has criticised the Bulgarian Ministry for Foreign Affairs for providing it with insufficient information to assess whether official investigations into alleged human rights violations have been prompt and impartial.

Last June, AI issued a report which documented seven deaths in custody, including those of five Roma. Information provided by the Bulgarian authorities reveals that in the cases of:

Assen Ivanov, no police officer is to be prosecuted.
Iliya Gherghinov, a witness was threatened by the police officer involved in the Romany's ill-treatment.
Iliyan Veselin Nikolov, another detainee at Stara Zagora prison is under investigation for causing his death. But AI has requested an investigation into allegations that the Roma was beaten in the lock-up of the investigation service before being transferred to the prison. AI also alleges that Nikolov received no medical treatment in prison, despite repeated requests, and that his mother was threatened when she indicated that she would make a complaint.
Angel Zubchikov, AI is unhappy that detailed descriptions of the events leading to his death have been published, even though the Military Prosecutor's Office in Varna is still conducting an investigation.

AI Index EUR 15/18/96, 7.11.96

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