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| HUMAN RIGHTS IN ROMANIA 12/03/2010 |
| (2010-03-12) |
| Last updated: 2010-03-15 13:07 EET |
The US State Department issues an annual report on the state of human rights in each country that is a member of the United Nations. The most recent report confirms that Romania is a functioning, yet far from perfect democracy.
The report also shows that the Euro-parliamentary elections of June 2009, as well as the presidential elections held in November and December of the same year, were fair and free proceedings, despite some irregularities. However, the report points the finger at abuse committed by the police and gendarmes against prison inmates and ethnic Roma, poor living conditions in penitentiaries, as well as cases in which the judicial system was not impartial, but rather politically influenced. The American report also notes that the Romanian Government has failed to effectively implement the legislation aimed at fighting corruption amongst officials, allowing some of them to dabble in illegal activities while benefiting from immunity.
The US State Department saw how the authorities’ ineffective response to corruption has stirred public disapproval and intense political debates. The report also brings back to public attention the issue of unruly behaviour by riot police forces. According to recent information, police officers and gendarmes have, allegedly, harassed and abusively treated inmates and those of Roma ethnicity. Discrimination and violence against the latter category continues to remain an issue.
However, the report takes note of how the Romanian police, having undergone recent reforms, use Roma mediators in facilitating communication between this community and the authorities in crisis situations. With respect to freedom of speech and press, it seems the government has generally observed these rights. Journalists and citizens alike have been free to level criticism at the authorities on all levels, with only isolated cases of intimidation and censorship of the press. According to the US State Department, sexual minorities and people with HIV or AIDS, especially children, have suffered from social discrimination.
Another fault in Romanian democracy apparently concerns the restrictions imposed by the law regarding the religious denominations of various religions. The authors of the annual report again highlight the authorities' inefficiency in the process of returning land to the Greek Catholic Church, outlawed and stripped of its assets by the communists in 1948. What’s more, new information is being revealed with regard to violence against women and gender discrimination, as well as the abuse of children. With regard to the human trafficking, the American Department of State's report noted that last year, people were trafficked for the purpose of work, sexual exploitation and forced begging.
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