02/02/2012
Council of Europe
Strasbourg, 02.02.2012
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe – representing the governments of the organisation’s 47 member states – expressed its “deep concern about the rise of anti-Gypsyism, anti-Roma rhetoric and violent attacks against Roma”.
It called on governments to “refrain from using anti-Roma rhetoric, in particular during electoral campaigns, and to condemn vigorously, swiftly and in public, all acts of racist violence against Roma, including threats and intimidation, as well as hate speech directed against them.”
Drawing attention to the economic climate, the Committee of Ministers urged governments and public authorities not to use Roma as “easy targets and scapegoats.”
The declaration also called on governments to conduct “speedy and effective investigations of all crimes committed against Roma” and “to identify any racist motives for such acts, so that the perpetrators do not go unpunished and escalation of ethnic tensions is avoided.”
Link to Roma and Travellers Website
Source: Council of Europe
ER-0747/2014
