The ERRC Docket of Cases - A Data Base of Defending Roma Legal Rights

12 October 1996

The European Roma Rights Center is presently developing an archive of cases of human rights violations against Roma in which the victims have taken legal action to pursue justice.

Each case file contains:

• a short summary of the facts and legal developments on the case prepared by an attorney at the ERRC;
• texts of the relevant domestic and international laws;
• legal and other documents on the case;
• in addition, each file also contains a brief analysis which pinpoints the specific legal issues and problems raised by the case. This analysis elaborates on legal experiences and conclusions drawn from the case which may be relevant to other cases. The analysis proceeds regardless of whether or not the legal issues identified have been successfully addressed during the legal procedure. It also attempts to identify issues which, if successfully raised in the future, may have a precedent-setting effect.

The archive is open to researchers. Lawyers and human rights activists who are interested in defending the rights of Roma in court, as well as in other fora, are also welcome to use materials from the archive. The archive, we hope, will serve as the basis for developing strategies for litigation and legal advocacy for Roma. The goal of the archive is, in accordance with the Statement of Mission of the ERRC, to further the empowerment of Roma through law.