Amnesty accuses Hungary of failing to protect Roma

BUDAPEST. November 10. KAZINFORM Amnesty International has accused Hungary of not doing enough to prevent and respond to violence against the country's large Roma population; Kazinform refers to BBC News.

The human rights group has identified what it calls "shortcomings and gaps" in Hungary's criminal justice system.

It report focuses on a series of attacks on Roma settlements - which resulted in six deaths - over more than a year, ending in August 2009.

Four men were arrested after a massive police operation.

They are expected to go on trial soon, charged with murder.

Amnesty criticises the failure of the police to record some of the attacks as hate crimes.

"The Hungarian authorities have a duty to prevent discrimination and to ensure justice for victims of hate crimes," says Nicola Duckworth, director of Amnesty's Europe and Central Asia programme.

"This includes the obligation to investigate whether or not racial and ethnic hatred or prejudice played a role in these and any similar attacks"; Kazinform cites BBC News.

See www.bbc.co.uk for full version.