Strasbourg, 22/11/2012 - In recent years, the situation of Roma has been largely debated in Europe. However, this attention for the situation of the most discriminated minority in Europe has not been matched by much concrete action by governments. European countries continue too often to resort to old methods of dealing with this pressing human rights issue, as the increasing evictions of thousands of Roma throughout Europe show, Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, in his latest Human Rights Comment published today.

IIn France close to 5 000 Roma have reportedly been evicted from their settlements between July and September 2012. The inter-ministerial circular released last August requesting that authorities provide the evicted persons with adequate alternative housing has in most cases not brought any relief to the families concerned, who are often left to sleep rough in Paris, Marseille and other French cities. (more...)

See also: Making Human Rights for Roma a reality