Human Rights Crisis: Roma in Russia - Statement by the European Roma Rights Center on the occasion of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Conference on Tolerance and the Fight against Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, Brussels, S

09 September 2004

Since early 2003, the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC) has engaged in research into the human rights situation of Roma in Russia. The scope of ERRC research has to date included Northwest Russia , Central Russia , Southern Russia ; Siberia ; and the Ural region . Material gathered in the course of this research is currently being prepared for presentation in the form of a comprehensive documentary report, which is forthcoming. The documentation arising from ERRC research in Russia is however of central relevance for the current meeting. ERRC respectfully submits here a digested version of some of the compelling human rights issues documented in the course of its Russia research, focussing in particular on the following issues:

• Violence and Other Forms of Abuse by Police and Other Public Authorities
• Racially Motivated Violence against Roma by Vigilante Groups
• Discrimination Against Roma in the Criminal Justice System
• Hate Speech Against Roma in the Russian Media
• Lack of Adequate Anti-Discrimination Law in Russia

The present statement does not address issues related to the ability of Roma to realise fundamental economic and social rights on an equal footing with other persons in Russia, and similarly does not address the worrying preclusion of many Roma from access to Russian citizenship, in many cases due to a lack of personal documents, although there are very serious concerns also in these areas.