Strasbourg, 21/2/2013 - “Segregation of Roma children in education remains a serious human rights concern in the Czech Republic. Many of them are still taught as children with mild disabilities, in contravention of the 2007 D.H. judgment of the European Court of Human Rights which condemned the Czech Republic for this practice. Urgent action is needed to remedy this shortcoming”, said today Nils Muižnieks, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, releasing a report based on the findings of his visit to this country carried out on 12-15 November 2012, which focused on the human rights of Roma and persons with disabilities.

In spite of encouraging steps undertaken by the authorities, such as integration strategies, measures to counter hate speech and efforts to increase national minorities’ representation in police forces, there is still much to be achieved in combating anti-Gypsyism. “The overall situation of Roma is marked by conditions of exclusion and marginalisation. Measures to redress this situation need to be enhanced, in particular as concerns access to quality education, decent housing and freedom from discrimination”. (more...)

See also:

The Czech Republic and the Council of Europe

Commissioner of Human Rights' website