Council of Europe seeks independent, thorough investigation of the death of Romani community member Stanislav Tomáš in Teplice, Czech Republic

The Council of Europe (CoE) is calling for an independent, thorough investigation of the recent death of a Romani man in Teplice, Czech Republic because, according to them, video footage of the intervention by police officers on Saturday is alarming and raises many questions. News server Romea.cz has received a copy of the CoE statement. 

“The Council of Europe is calling for an urgent, thorough, and independent investigation into the recent death of a Romani man in the Czech Republic after he had been apprehended by the police. Footage taken on 19 June from Teplice, Czech Republic, showing police intervention against a Romani man who later died in an ambulance is alarming and raises numerous questions about the circumstances of this tragic incident,” the statement by the Spokesperson of the Secretary General reads.

The incident, after which 46-year-old Stanislav Tomáš died, happened on Saturday, 19 June, and amateur video of the intervention was posted to social media from which it is apparent that he was physically resisting and shouting, and the intervening officers used force to restrain him, including kneeling on his neck. As news server Romea.cz reported previously, the intervening officer knelt on the neck of the detained Romani man for several minutes. 

According to the police, Mr Tomáš then collapsed and died in the ambulance called to the scene. The video footage shows that he stopped moving while still prone on the sidewalk.