ERRC Urges New Czech Government to Sustain and Strengthen Human Rights Mechanisms

24 April 2009

Budapest: Today, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) sent a letter to Czech politicians in response to reports that the Ministry of Human Rights and Ethnic Minorities may be disolved, encouraging the new government to keep the Ministry intact. In its letter, the ERRC highlighted the importance of the Ministry given the current rise of anti-Romani violence, neo-Nazi marches in Romani communities and racially motivated attacks, while noting that discrimination against Roma in Czech Republic affects all areas of life.

The ERRC urged the government to immediately adopt the comprehensive anti-discrimination law transposing EU Council Directive 2000/43/EC, noting that Czech Republic is the only EU Member State which has yet to transpose this Directive.

The full text of the ERRC's letter is available HERE.

For further information, contact:

Robert Kushen, ERRC Managing Director (rob.kushen@errc.org, +1.917.747.3285)
Sinan Gokcen, ERRC Information Officer (sinan.gokcen@errc.org, +36.1.413.2200)