Hungary’s most famous Romani mayor has died, the circumstances are still being investigated!

Roma rights activist mayor Bogdán László

Police are investigating the death of Roma rights activist László Bogdán, who was the independent mayor of Cserdi in Baranya County, in southern Hungary.

The mayor’s office was informed about his death earlier on Tuesday, Gizella Papp, a local municipality employee, said. His family has asked that no further details be published, she said.

Bogdán, aged 46, was the mayor of the village since 2006 and was the deputy mayor and local representative in preceding four years.

He received the Raoul Wallenberg award in January this year in recognition of his efforts to promote the peaceful coexistence of members of the minority and mainstream.

According to the Hungarian media,

Bogdán committed suicide.

His body was found in one of the municipal buildings last night, after his family began searching.

Bogdán’s death was confirmed by Orbán Kolompár, the former president of the National Roma Self-Government.

Later in the day, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony expressed his condolences to Bogdán’s family and Cserdi’s residents. Karácsony wrote on Facebook that Bogdán had “carried on his shoulder our shared burdens: poverty, discrimination, hopelessness and dogmas. Burdens we should have long freed ourselves from…”.