Council of Europe Anti-Racism Body Issues Report on Turkey

22 July 2005

On February 15, 2004, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) made public its second report on Turkey under its country-by-country analysis of racism and intolerance in each of the member states of the Council of Europe. ECRI noted in its report the lack of comprehensive research conducted into the "actual situation of the Roma population in Turkey" therefore making any assessment as to the social economic and cultural rights of Roma. Citing the ERRC ECRI noted:

"83. The authorities have not, it appears, carried out any research to determine the actual situation of the Roma in Turkey and official information on this subject is lacking. According to the European Roma Rights Centre, however, the Roma communities in Turkey experience major difficulties due to social exclusion. They encounter discrimination in employment, housing and access to public places. They live in difficult conditions in camps from which they are often forcibly evicted without being offered alternative accommodation. There is inequality of opportunity in terms of access to health care, employment and also education, in that parents often cannot afford to send their children to school." 

ECRI strongly urged the "Turkish authorities to look into the situation of the Roma in Turkey, so as to identify the problems facing them, in particular as regards intolerance and discrimination in many areas of life".

The full text of this report can be found online at http://www.coe.int/T/E/human%5Frights/ecri/1%2DECRI/. For further information regarding the situation of Roma in Turkey please visit the ERRC’s internet website at http://www.errc.org.

(ERRC)