The sterilization of Roma women: a serious threat to the fundaments of a democratic society

The Roma Center for Social Intervention and Studies – Romani CRISS, MCA
Romania – The Center for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism in Romania and
the National Institute for Holocaust Studies “Elie Wiesel” strongly condemn the
extremist manifestation of an extremist group in Timisoara, recently published
on the blog.

Statements such as the one published in
a recent post: “We offer a 300 lei reward1 to each Gypsy woman in Banat area,
who can present a medical document to prove she was voluntarily sterilized in
2013. If they cannot educate their offspring in order to avoid being a burden
for the Romanian society, we GUARANTEE 300 lei for the voluntary sterilization
made in 2013. The offer is very serious, and those interested can contact the
Autonomous Nationalists by email”.

Or publishing objectives such as:
“solving urgently the Gypsy issue; preservation of the racial genotype, the
genetic patrimony inherited from our ancestors, as part of our identity, erasing
the guiltiness cult on the so-called “holocaust”, which allegedly took place in
Transnistria, stopping the courses on “holocaust” in public schools until that
period is objectively clarified, total opposition to multiculturalism and
crossbreeding”, fall under the Criminal Code and the Emergency Government
Ordinance no 31/2002.

We condemn the recrudescence of the extremist phenomenon,
which is incompatible to fundamental values that build a democratic society. The
sterilization of women who belong to an ethnic group, regardless how this
measure is promoted, represents a serious threat both against the members of
that particular group, as well as against the entire society.

We emphasize that,
recently, the European Court of Human Rights has condemned Slovakia (in 2011,
respectively 2012, the V.C. and N.B. versus Slovakia decisions) for the
sterilization of Roma women, holding that articles 3 and 8 of the European
Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of inhumane and degrading treatment and
right to respect for private and family life).

We urge the Romanian institutions
to put into practice any legal measures in order to make such extremist and
discriminatory statements impossible to publish. They represent a serious threat
against the democratic values and principles.

Romani CRISS and MCA Romania
organizations will file a complaint in front of the Prosecutor’s Office with
regard to this initiative of supporting the sterilization of Roma women.