U.S. Helsinki Commission to hold hearing on Violence Against Roma

Building Bridges – or Burning Them? The Escalation of Violence against Roma in Europe

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 2:00 p.m. B-318 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

Roma are the largest ethnic minority in Europe today (estimated at over 12 million). B…ut over the past 20 years, they have been caught in a downward spiral of profound social exclusion and economic marginalization. To make matters worse, since 2007, there has been an escalation of violence against Roma, including by sniper fire, Molotov cocktail attacks, and anti-Roma rioting. Anti-Roma political discourse may further inflame an already combustible situation. This hearing will examine the factors contributing to the escalation of violence in the region, the potential risks for countries that fail to bring this phenomenon under control, and recommendations for steps to counter these human rights violations.

The following witnesses are scheduled to testify:

• Andrzej Mirga, Senior Advisor on Romani Issues, OSCE
• Dezideriu Gergely, Executive Director of the European Roma Rights Center