8 April 2009, Budapest, Brussels: Today, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Serbian authorities to take immediate and decisive action to ensure an adequate and sustained alternative accommodation to the 47 Romani families forcibly evicted by authorities in Novi Beograd on 3 April. The organisations also requested that the individuals concerned be given compensation for lost property and other damage associated with the forced eviction and destruction of property.

Referring to Serbia’s international law commitments, the ERRC and HRW recalled the obligations of governments’ to respect, protect and fulfil the right to adequate housing, including the prohibition on forced evictions. The organisations urged the Serbian government to ensure that Romani communities in similarly precarious positions are afforded appropriate protections against forced evictions and to make certain that individuals are not rendered homeless as a result of eviction through the provision of adequate alternative housing.

The full text of the letter is available HERE.

On the occasion of International Roma Day, the ERRC urges national governments and international institutions to intensify efforts to work with Romani civil society organisations to improve respect for the human rights of Roma. Recently in many European countries, gross violations of the rights of Roma have taken place and appear to be on the rise. Effective partnership between government and Romani representatives, and government support of Romani groups, is all the more important at this time to quell the apparent increase in anti-Romani actions and to promote real equality of Roma.

For further information, contact:

Idaver Memedov, ERRC International Advocacy Officer, idaver.memedov@errc.org, +36.1.413.2200