Weltwoche cover picture: Outrage also in Germany
The image of a Roma child holding a weapon on the cover of *Weltwoche* has also sparked outrage in Germany. On Tuesday, the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma filed a criminal complaint against those responsible at *Weltwoche*.
According to the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, the presentation and depiction in the associated articles criminalized the ethnic group of Sinti and Roma in an inciting manner. The criminal complaint was submitted to the public prosecutor's office in Heidelberg (Germany). The highlighted ethnic labeling of unknown defendants would promote racist stereotypes in the style of National Socialist attributions against the minority. As in those days, the impression of "descent-related criminality" is created and Sinti and Roma are publicly placed under general suspicion. The Central Council is also calling for a halt to the distribution of the edition in Germany.
The Austrian journalist Klaus Kamolz and a woman living in the canton of Baselland had already filed complaints against Weltwoche. The Federal Commission against Racism (FCR) has also announced that it will look into the report.
Picture agency explains abuse
Meanwhile, the photo agency Laif has declared that the image has been misused. A photo from a report by its photographer Livio Mancini had been used in a way that distorted the meaning and altered the truth. The message of the image had been reversed and misused as an illustration for an article. Laif appeals to photo editors to only use images in the context in which they were taken.
Photographer Mancini took the picture of the child in 2008 at a garbage dump on the outskirts of the Kosovan town of Gjakova. Roma children lived there with their families and used the toxic waste dump as a playground.
Weltwoche rejects accusation
Weltwoche firmly rejects the accusation of misuse of the image, as deputy editor-in-chief Philipp Gut told the SDA news agency when asked. Gut is co-author of the article.
"The purchase of the picture was correct from A to Z," says Gut. This is an everyday process that occurs routinely in every editorial office. There were no restrictions imposed by the agency on this picture.
Gut also sees no abuse at the content level. The text is about criminal Roma gangs who use children for criminal purposes. "The image symbolizes this abuse of minors," says Gut.(SDA)
> Weltwoche accused over Roma cover story
