Rise in Forced Evictions in Slovakia Alarming
(Last modified: 2007-09-21 16:02:28)
On 19 September 2007, the European Roma Rights Centre (Budapest), Institute of Roma Public Policy (Bratislava), Milan Simecka Foundation (Bratislava), and the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (Geneva) sent a letter of concern to the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Mr Robert Fico, expressing concern about the recent increase in cases of forced eviction of Roma in Slovakia.
In the letter, the organisations underlined that many municipal governments in Slovakia have been evicting their socially dependent citizens instead of attempting to address their problems in effective ways. The letter affirms that the evictions, which may in fact amplify interethnic tensions, contradict local and/or international law.
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Romani families under threat of the forced evictions
(Last modified: 2007-07-26 14:24:33)
On July 16 2007, the ERRC sent a letter of concern to Mr Vladimir Volonchunas, Mayor of Yaroslavl, expressing concern about 84 Romani individuals, including 46 minors, who are currently facing forced eviction and homelessness. A copy of the letter was sent to Mr Anatoly Panchenko, head of the Land Resources Department, City Council of Yaroslavl.
In its letters, the ERRC urged Mr Volonchunas to take all measures within the power of their office to find an adequate and long-lasting solution to the impending forced eviction and homelessness of Romani families.
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ERRC/CSRC Call for the Amendment of the Macedonian Draft Law on the Public Prosecution Office
(Last modified: 2007-07-06 16:40:08)
On 6 July 2007 the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and the Skopje-based Civil Society Research Center (CSRC) sent a letter to the highest Macedonian authorities calling for amendments to the Draft Law on the Public Prosecution, which will soon be debated by the Parliament. These amendments are necessary in order to eliminate the existing shortcomings with respect to the prompt and effective protection by the Public Prosecutor of citizens who are victims of a criminal offence. The letter, which was sent to the Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, Minister of Interior, President of the Parliament, Presidents of the Political Parties represented in the Parliament, Coordinators of the Political Parties in the Parliament, Public Prosecutor and Ombudsman of the Republic of Macedonia called for the inclusion of provisions in the draft law that prescribe time limits for the Public Prosecution Office (PPO) to investigate and to inform the victims of the outcome of the investigation.
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Actions Against Anti-Romani Hate Speech on Russian Internet Portals
(Last modified: 2007-06-21 12:28:05)
On 11 June 2007, the ERRC sent a letter of concern to Ms Elena Rylenkova, Director of the news agency "Kuzbass-inform", expressing concern about the continuous association of Roma with criminal activity in the reports on the Agency's portal http://www.kuzinform.ru, which contribute to the perpetuation of stereotypes about the linkage between Roma and crimes. A copy of the letter was sent to the regional media oversight body, the Siberian Administration of Rosohrancultura.
The full texts of the letters are available at:
In English: View it (Acrobat pdf format)!
In Russian: View it (Acrobat pdf format)!
Previously, on 22 May, the ERRC expressed similar concerns in a letter sent to Mr Victor Biryukov, Director of the Internet portal "http://www.petrovka38.ru", which frequently posts reports contributing to hostile attitude towards Roma. A copy of the letter was sent to Mr Pronin, Chief of the Municipal Department of Internal Affairs of Moscow.
In its letters the ERRC, urged the directors to take a firm stand against anti-Romani hate speech and to refrain from publishing reports that may incite further intolerance of Roma.
The full texts of the letters are available at:
In English: View it (Acrobat pdf format)!
In Russian: View it (Acrobat pdf format)!
The letters are a component of ongoing ERRC work in the Russian Federation to combat hate speech against Roma. Since 2006, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs has supported ERRC work in the Russian Federation.
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ERRC/osservAzione Request Urgent Action by Italian Authorities in Response to Anti-Romani Pacts
(Last modified: 2007-05-24 10:50:00)
Urgent Action on Romani Housing Rights Issues in Italy
On 23 May 2007, the ERRC and partner organisation osservAzione sent a letter to the highest Italian authorities calling for urgent action to rescind recently signed "Pacts for Security" in Rome and Milan, which foresee the forced eviction of more than 10,000 Roma. The letter, which was sent to the Italian President, the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, the Minister of Interior and the Italian anti-discrimination body UNAR, called on Italian authorities to respect their international law obligations and adopt housing policies and programmes which avoid homelessness and the further segregation of Roma, and which provide real and adequate housing solutions for the Roma in Italy. In their letter, which was copied to relevant European and international agencies, the ERRC and osservAzione recalled the December 2005 decision of the European Committee of Social Rights, which found Italy in violation of the housing rights guarantees contained in the Revised European Social Charter with respect to Roma. The full text of the letter can be viewed View it (MSWord doc format)!.
Rome Pact: View it (Acrobat pdf format)!
Milan Pact: View it (Acrobat pdf format)!
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ERRC Urges Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to Adopt Roma-Related Recommendations to Greece
(Last modified: 2007-05-17 10:30:17)
On 17 May 2007, the ERRC sent a letter calling upon the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to promptly adopt recommendations to the Greek government to ensure compliance with the European Social Charter in terms of its Roma policies, drawing upon reports and recommendations made by the European Committee of Social Rights, the Council of Europe Commissioner on Human Rights and non-governmental organisations which monitor the situation on the ground.
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ERRC Action to Combat Anti-Romani Hate Speech in Russia
(Last modified: 2007-05-15 20:05:00)
On 8 May 2007, the ERRC sent a letter of concern to Mr Ilya Zaharov, Director of the "lipetsknews.ru" Internet news portal, expressing concern about the continuous association of Roma with criminal activity in the reports of "lipetsknews.ru" which contribute to the perpetuation of stereotypes about alleged widespread criminality amongst Roma.
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Continued Hate Speech Against Roma in the Russian Media
(Last modified: 2007-03-27 14:51:04)
ERRC Action to Combat Anti-Romani Hate Speech in Russia
On 19 March 2007, the ERRC sent a letter of concern to Mr Konstantin Ernst, General Director of the Russian television channel First Channel, expressing concern about the linkage of Roma with crime in a programme entitled "Man and the law" and its contribution towards heightened levels of anti-Romani sentiment in Russia. In its letter, which was copied to the Director of the Federal Administration of Rosohrancultura, the ERRC urged Mr Ernst to refrain from broadcasting programmes that incite further hatred and intolerance of Roma. The full text of the letter is available:
In English: Download it (zip file)!
In Russian: Download it (zip file)!
The letter is a component of ongoing work by the ERRC in the Russian Federation to combat hate speech against Roma. Since 2006, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs has supported ERRC work in the Russian Federation.
Persons wishing to express similar concerns are urged to contact:
Mr Konstantin Ernst
General Director, First Channel
Akademika Koroleva, 12, Moscow, 127427, Russia
Fax: +7 495 6151139
Mr Alexander Romanenkov
Deputy Director on supervision and control of the media
Federal Administration of Rosohrancultura
Malaya Nikitskaya str 12, Moscow, 123995, Russia
Fax: + 7 495 2905207 |
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ERRC Action to Combat Hate Speech Against Roma on Russian Media Portals
(Last modified: 2007-03-07 12:19:04)
Anti-Romani hate speech endemic on Russian media portals
On 6 March 2007, the ERRC sent a letter of concern to Mr Pavel Gorshkov, Executive Director of the Russian media portal "Regions", expressing concern about the regular linkage of Roma with crime in the titles and content of news published on the portal, which incites anti-Romani sentiment in Russia. In its letter, which was copied to the Director of the Central Regional Administration of Rosohrancultura, the ERRC urged Mr Gorshkov to review the policy of the portal toward persons belonging to minority groups, in particular Roma, and to refrain from publishing reports that incite further hatred and intolerance of Roma.
The full text of the letter is available:
In English: Download it (zip file)!
In Russian: Download it (zip file)!
The letter is a component of ongoing work by the ERRC in the Russian Federation to combat hate speech against Roma. Since 2006, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs has supported ERRC work in the Russian Federation.
Persons wishing to express similar concerns are urged to contact:
Mr Pavel Gorshkov
Executive Director, Publishing House "Regions"
p/o 77, 125009, Moscow, Russia
Tel/Fax: +7 495 6507180
Mr Alexander Haev
Director, Central Regional Administration of Rosohrancultura
Malaya Nikitskaya str. 12, Moscow 630091, Russia
Fax: + 7 495 2904573 |
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ERRC Urges Russian Newspaper to Refrain from Using Inflammatory Anti-Romani Language
(Last modified: 2007-02-15 11:37:04)
Anti-Romani hate speech contributes to the growth of intolerance toward Roma
On 15 February 2007, the ERRC sent a letter of concern to Mr Boris Sorkin, Managing Director of the Russian Information Agency “REGNUM”, expressing concern at the regular linkage of Roma with crime in the agency’s reports and noting that such media reports contribute to a climate of intolerance of Roma. The letter referred to numerous articles published in the newspaper collected by the ERRC during 2006 and 2007, which explicitly link Roma with drug dealing and criminality. In its letter, which was copied to the Director of the Central Regional Administration of Rosohrancultura, the ERRC urged the information agency to take a firm stand against hate speech and to refrain from publishing inflammatory anti-Romani language. The full text of the letter is available:
In English: Download it (zip file)!
In Russian: Download it (zip file)!
The letter is a result of ongoing ERRC work in the Russian Federation to combat hate speech against Roma. Since 2006, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs has supported ERRC work in the Russian Federation.
Persons wishing to express similar concerns are urged to contact:
Mr Boris Sorkin
Managing Director, Information Agency “REGNUM”
Pravdi 21 stroenie 1, Moscow 125040, Russia
Fax: +7 495 2594639
Mr Alexander Haev
Director, Central Regional Administration of Rosohrancultura
Malaya Nikitskaya str. 12, Moscow 630091, Russia
Fax: + 7 495 2904573 |
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ERRC Condemns Anti-Romani Actions in Russia
(Last modified: 2007-02-07 10:55:49)
On 1 February 2007, the ERRC sent two letters to Russian authorities expressing concern at anti-Romani actions in the country and urging immediate action to end such incidents.
The first letter, sent to Mr Pavel Gusev, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper “Moskovskij Komsomoletc”, expressed concern about the rise of anti-Romani hate speech in the newspaper and the regular and apparently habitual linkage of Roma with crime. The letter, which was copied to the Director of the Central Regional Administration of Rosohrancultura urged employees of the newspaper to take a firm stand against anti-Romani hate speech and to refrain from publishing inflammatory anti-Romani language. The full text of letter is available:
In English: Download it (zip file)!
In Russian: Download it (zip file)!
The second letter was sent to Mr Mikhail Cukruk, Chief of the Department of the Ministry of Interior of Volgograd Region, and expressed concern recent police raids in the city of Volzhskiy, undertaken within the framework of a police action called “Operation Tabor”. The action, the name of which points directly to anti-Romani actions by law enforcement officials (“tabors” are Romani settlements), is the most recent in a series of explicitly anti-Romani actions by Russian police taking place since 2002. In its letter, the ERRC urged Russian authorities to take immediate measures to end abusive police operations targeting Roma in the region of Volgograd. The full text of the letter, which was copied to the General Prosecutor of the Russian Federation, is available:
In English: Download it (zip file)!
In Russian: Download it (zip file)!
The letters are a part of ongoing ERRC work in the Russian Federation to combat hate speech against Roma and the problems experienced by Roma in the Russian criminal justice system. Since 2006, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs has supported ERRC work in the Russian Federation. |
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Slovene Government Fails to Fulfil Obligations Under International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(Last modified: 2006-02-13 16:55:20)
On July 8, 2005 the ERRC submitted a letter to the United Nations Human Rights Committee concerning the human rights status of Roma in Slovenia beneath the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. ERRC monitoring determined that the Slovene government’s distinction between autochthonous (apparently those whose families have lived continuously in Slovenia for generations) and non-autochthonous (apparently those who are perceived to have primary links to other former Yugoslav republics, or are otherwise viewed as not having a full claim on belonging in Slovenia) Roma, both in practice and in law, breaches Slovene obligations under Article 27 of the Covenant, which prevents distinction between citizens and non- citizens in the fulfilment of rights obligations. Furthermore, the ERRC found that Roma without documentation of their citizenship often faced harassment by the police, inability to secure employment, and serious obstacles in the areas of health care, education, and housing. Thus, the letter also raised concerns regarding the state’s compliance with Articles 2, 24, and 26 of the Covenant, as well as other aspects of international law. The ERRC submission coincides with the UNHRC’s review of Slovenia’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights at its 84th session, July 11-29, 2005.
View it (MSWord doc format)! |
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In the Aftermath of Ethnic Cleansing: Continued Persecution of Roma, Ashkalis, Egyptians and Others Perceived as “Gypsies” in Kosovo
(Last modified: 2006-02-13 16:55:20)
Memorandum of the European Roma Rights Centre
Six years ago, after the end of the NATO bombing of former Yugoslavia, Roma Ashkalis, Egyptians and others regarded as “Gypsies” (“RAE”) were violently cleansed from their homes in Kosovo by means of arson, mass destruction of houses, killings and rape. Today, persecution of the members of these communities continues, manifested in their systematic exclusion from access to fundamental human rights. Racial discrimination against RAE communities in Kosovo is pervasive, depriving tens of thousands from even a bare minimum of dignity. Anti-Gypsy sentiment among the majority is widespread, ranging from assaults on RAE individuals to verbal abuse and dissemination of defamatory images, including images stigmatising RAE as perpetrators of crimes against Albanians, in the media.
Full text of the memorandum: View it (MSWord doc format)! |
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Italian Authorities Threaten Roma from Kosovo and Other Parts of Serbia and Montenegro with Expulsion
(Last modified: 2006-02-13 16:55:20)
On February 17, 2005, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) sent a letter to Mr Giuseppe Pisanu, Italy’s Minister of the Interior, and Mr Giuseppe Caruso, Questore di Palermo (Police Commissioner), expressing concern about reported threats by Italian authorities to expel Kosovo Roma and/or Roma from other parts of Serbia and Montenegro from Italy to their country of origin following an early morning raid on the Favorita Romani camp in Palermo. The ERRC urged Italian authorities to cease all action threatening the expulsion of Roma and/or other persons regarded as "Gypsies" to Kosovo or other parts of Serbia and Montenegro and to provide the persons at issue with a durable legal status until such a time as the persons concerned may voluntarily return to Kosovo with dignity in light of the continued threats facing Roma, Ashkaelia, Egyptians and others regarded as "Gypsies" in Kosovo. Copies of the letter were sent to Mr Ruud Lubbers, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr Marek Nowicki, Kosovo Ombudsperson, and Ms Laurie Wiseberg, Minority Returns Advisor, UNMIK. The full text of the February 17 ERRC letter: View it (MSWord doc format)! |
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Spanish Authorities Fail to Provide Alternative Accommodation for Forcibly Evicted Romani Families
(Last modified: 2006-02-13 16:55:20)
On February 11, 2005, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) sent a letter to Ms Rita Barberá, Mayor of Valencia, Spain, expressing concern at the forced eviction of, and the failure by Valencia authorities to provide alternative accommodation for, approximately ten Romani families in the absence of adequate procedural protections. The ERRC also noted that an additional forty families also face forced eviction. The ERRC urged Spanish authorities to take all necessary steps to ensure the provision of adequate alternative accommodation for the affected Romani families and to refrain from any further forced evictions of Roma in the absence of adequate accommodation solutions and appropriate procedural guarantees. Copies of the letter were sent to Mr Enrique Mugica Herzog, Spain’s Defensor del Pueblo (Ombudsman), Mr Candido Conde Pumbido, Spain’s FiscalĂa General Del Estado (General Prosecutor), Ms Soledad Murillo de la Vega, Spain’s SecretarĂa General de PolĂticas de Igualdad (Secretary General for Equality Policies), and Mr Miloon Kothari, Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The full text of the ERRC letter: View it (MSWord doc format)! |
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Authorities in Greece Leave Romani Family Homeless After Demolishing Their Home
(Last modified: 2006-02-13 16:55:20)
On February 7, 2005, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) sent a letter to Mr Costas Karamanlis, Prime Minister of Greece, expressing concern at the demolition of the home of a Romani family and their subsequent homelessness by Greek authorities and the imminent eviction of several other Romani families in Aghia Paraskevi, Greater Athens. The ERRC urged Greek authorities to bring to justice all persons culpable for violations of domestic and/or international law in connection the incident, to undertake all measures to ensure that the affected Romani family are provided with adequate alternate accommodation and due compensation for the loss of and/or damage to their property, as well as for physical harms and trauma incurred in the course of the events. Copies of the letter were sent to Mr Miloon Kothari, Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and Professor Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Greece’s Minister of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization. The full text of the letter: View it (MSWord doc format)! |
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ERRC Collective Complaint against Italy: Systematic Violations of Right to Adequate Housing
(Last modified: 2006-02-13 16:55:20)
21 June 2004, Budapest, Hungary; Strasbourg, France. The European Roma Rights Center today brought a collective complaint under the Revised European Social Charter against Italy for persistent and systematic violations of the fundamental rights of Roma to adequate housing.
The ERRC collective complaint alleges that as a result of the construction and maintenance, by policy and practice, of substandard and racially segregated camps for Roma, as well as in light of policies and practices of forced eviction of Roma, threats of forced eviction of Roma, systemic destruction of property belonging to Roma and the systemic invasion of Romani dwellings without due regard to Italy's international law obligations, Italy is in violation of Article 31(1) of the Revised European Social Charter, taken together with the Revised Charter's Article E ban on discrimination.
By policy, Italian authorities racially segregate Roma. Underpinning the Italian government’s approach to Roma and public housing is the conviction that Roma are "nomads". In the late 1980s and early 1990s, ten out of the twenty regions in Italy adopted laws aimed at the "protection of nomadic cultures" through the construction of segregated camps. There has been no effective action at the national or any other level to combat the development of such segregating programs. Segregated Romani housing in Italy is almost invariably substandard and in a number of localities, conditions are so severe that they constitute a public health risk.
In addition, ERRC human rights documentation and monitoring in Italy, undertaken independently as well as in consultation with partner organisations, indicates that Roma are repeatedly and systematically subjected to forced eviction from housing, in general absent basic procedural guarantees and without alternate accommodation being provided, in violation of international law.
The ERRC collective complaint against Italy also provides the European Committee of Social Rights -- the body charged with oversight of issues arising under the European Social Charter and Revised Charter -- that where Roma are concerned, Italian authorities do not effectively undertake measures "to prevent and reduce homelessness with a view to its gradual elimination" as required by Article 31(2) of the Revised Charter. The ERRC collective complaint also alleges that the Italian government has undertaken inadequate measures to compensate for the disproportionate exclusion of Roma from social housing, and has not even undertaken measures adequately to document the extent of exclusion of Roma from social housing.
The complaint is the result of close to four years of follow-up work undertaken subsequent to the publication in 2000 of the ERRC Country Report "Campland: Racial Segregation of Roma in Italy". For further information on the ERRC collective complaint against Italy, please contact Tara Bedard, ERRC Researcher, at: tara@errc.org or (36 1) 41 32 200.
View it (MSWord doc format)! |
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