Brutal Attack on Neven Rauk
23/01/2009
Submitted by
Team for Legal Changes of Iskorak and Kontra
Zagreb, 14th January 2009
SUBJECT: A public announcement concerning the attack on Neven Rauk
To whom it may concern,
On the 12th January 2009, in Zagreb, Neven Rauk was physically assaulted by unknown perpetrators. Namely, the victim was a member of a social networking website ‘Iskrica’, through which on the same date he had arranged to meet the unknown perpetrator that evening at 8 pm near the monument close to the Dinamo stadium in Maksimir. When he arrived at the agreed meeting spot, he was intercepted by a group of youths, which followed him minutes later by a car even as he managed to catch a bus to the Crematorium while he was running away from them. Once he got off the bus at the Crematorium, he was physically assaulted, sustaining injuries to the nose and one eye, and they also took pictures of him bleeding during the attack.
Upon learning of this attack today, and acting on official duty, Team for Legal Changes of Iskorak and Kontra has filed a criminal charge against perpetrators unknown suspecting them of criminal acts of violent behaviour Art 331 par. 2, and racial and other discrimination Art 174 par. 1 of the Criminal Code against the victim Neven Rauk, which having been committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation has to be treated as a hate crime according to the current legal regulations. Mr. Rauk contacted the Team for Legal Changes for legal help. Attorney at law was hired to represent him in this case.
We repeat with regret the statement that Zagreb has become an unsafe city in which the citizens are often physically assaulted. Common incentives behind these attacks are sexual orientation, nationality, race or some other stand-out trait of the victim. Hate fuelled attacks have as a consequence a general sense of vulnerability amongst minorities, as well as a highly stigmatising effect.
We therefore demand:
• From the police officials we expect consistent implementation of legislative regulations regarding hate crimes for which exists an internal instruction by the Ministry of Internal affairs, also to find all of the perpetrators at short notice;
• From the State Attorney’s Office we demand that this attack is recognized as a criminal offences of violent behavior and racial and other discrimination, and to treat it as a hate crime, and to keep future statistics on hate crimes
• Institutional mechanisms for the protection of human rights and gender equality, and to publicly renounce this type of violence, and to monitor the work of the police officials in these cases.
Best regard,
Sanja Juras,
Coordinator of the Lesbian group Kontra
Kristijan Grđan,
Coordinator of Iskorak – Centre for the human rights of sexual and gender minorities
SUBJECT: A public announcement concerning the attack on Neven Rauk
To whom it may concern,
On the 12th January 2009, in Zagreb, Neven Rauk was physically assaulted by unknown perpetrators. Namely, the victim was a member of a social networking website ‘Iskrica’, through which on the same date he had arranged to meet the unknown perpetrator that evening at 8 pm near the monument close to the Dinamo stadium in Maksimir. When he arrived at the agreed meeting spot, he was intercepted by a group of youths, which followed him minutes later by a car even as he managed to catch a bus to the Crematorium while he was running away from them. Once he got off the bus at the Crematorium, he was physically assaulted, sustaining injuries to the nose and one eye, and they also took pictures of him bleeding during the attack.
Upon learning of this attack today, and acting on official duty, Team for Legal Changes of Iskorak and Kontra has filed a criminal charge against perpetrators unknown suspecting them of criminal acts of violent behaviour Art 331 par. 2, and racial and other discrimination Art 174 par. 1 of the Criminal Code against the victim Neven Rauk, which having been committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation has to be treated as a hate crime according to the current legal regulations. Mr. Rauk contacted the Team for Legal Changes for legal help. Attorney at law was hired to represent him in this case.
We repeat with regret the statement that Zagreb has become an unsafe city in which the citizens are often physically assaulted. Common incentives behind these attacks are sexual orientation, nationality, race or some other stand-out trait of the victim. Hate fuelled attacks have as a consequence a general sense of vulnerability amongst minorities, as well as a highly stigmatising effect.
We therefore demand:
• From the police officials we expect consistent implementation of legislative regulations regarding hate crimes for which exists an internal instruction by the Ministry of Internal affairs, also to find all of the perpetrators at short notice;
• From the State Attorney’s Office we demand that this attack is recognized as a criminal offences of violent behavior and racial and other discrimination, and to treat it as a hate crime, and to keep future statistics on hate crimes
• Institutional mechanisms for the protection of human rights and gender equality, and to publicly renounce this type of violence, and to monitor the work of the police officials in these cases.
Best regard,
Sanja Juras,
Coordinator of the Lesbian group Kontra
Kristijan Grđan,
Coordinator of Iskorak – Centre for the human rights of sexual and gender minorities
