Ukrainian Authorities Urged to Ensure Justice for Roma

21 July 2008

On 17 July 2008, the ERRC addressed the Ukrainian Minister of Interior, Mr Iurii Lutsenko, to express deep concern about the failure of the Ukrainian justice system with respect to serious breaches of the fundamental human rights of Roma in Ukraine. Referring to two separate cases of racially motivated violence against Roma dating to 2002 and 2006, the ERRC recalled jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights in recent cases concerning racially-motivated violence against Roma and the obligations of state authorities to adequately and effectively investigate such cases and bring the perpetrators to justice. The ERRC urged Minister Lutsenko to use the full powers of his office to ensure justice for the Romani victims of racially-motivated violence in Ukraine.

The full text of the letter is available here.