Radio Slovakia International

Slovakia Must Allow Independent Inquiry of Forced Sterilization

RSI

Slovakia has to examine cases of sterilization of Roma women in eastern slovakia, insists Vanda Durbakova, a lawyer who cooperates with human rights NGO called Poradna pre Obcianske A Ludske Prava. The lawyer provides legal services to illegally sterilized women before the courts. She insists that the Slovak government should move and open an independent inquiry into forced sterilization of Roma women. The government is obliged to adopt complex measures to treat adequately this practice, secure punishment of possible offenders and reimbursement to the victims.

In April 2009, eight Roma women from Slovakia, who were denied unrestricted access to their own medical records for more than a decade, won a case against Slovakia before the European Court on Human Rights. Nevertheless, the slovak Government has not taken steps to re-open its investigation into the sterilization of Roma women and required instead advancing the case to the ECHR’s grand chamber. The court however dismissed the request last week . The verdict thus came into force and the Slovak government is obliged to reimburse the damaged Roma women. The U.N Committee against Torture has issued recommendations on November 19 urging the slovak government to secure fulfillment of its commitments ensuing from United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.