Romania: Death in suspicious circumstances of Ion Putoi and Toader Elinoiu

There is concern at reports that Ion Putoi and Toader Elinoiu were severely ill-treated by police officers in two separate incidents in Nereju, Vrancea county, and that their deaths may have resulted from the alleged ill-treatment. In February 1995 Ion Putoi and his brother were involved in a dispute with a police officer, both were subsequently brutally beaten and their family were also harassed. On 4 April a group of 10 officers apprehended Ion Putoi, beat him and then reportedly shot him. Marcel Putoi continues to be threatened and beaten by police. Toader Elinoiu reportedly died after being beaten by police on 14 August 1998. Amnesty International is calling on the authorities to thoroughly and impartially investigate both suspicious deaths and other incidents of ill-treatment by police in Nereju.