By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Report, Europe

PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Discrimination against Roma children continues to exist in the the public educational system in the Czech Republic, according to Amnesty International.

The report by the international human rights watchdog indicated that it has become common practice in the Czech Republic for the children of Roma, or Gypsies, to be transferred by the government to schools designed to house those with mental disabilities.  These schools, now known as ‘practical’ schools, offer limited academic opportunities.  The limited opportunities result in many Roma becoming unable to receive the necessary vocational or academic skills to obtain adequate employment.  Approximately fourth-fifths of the students in these alternative schools are of Roma descent, while only 2% of the children of the non-Romi majority attend.

The Europe program director for Amnesty International, Nicola Duckworth, has stated that “education is a way out of a vicious circle of poverty and marginalisation that affects a large part of the Roma population in the country.  Unless the Czech authorities give them equal opportunities, they will be denying Romani children their chances for a better future and full participation in the life of the country.”  The Amnesty International report, which studied four schools in the eastern portion of the country, calls for an immediate freeze on the placement of any student in the ‘practical’ schools in the 2010-2011 school year.

There are approximately 300,000 Roma in the Czech Republic, and over 8 million Roma in all of Europe, mostly in the center of the continent.  The Roma have historically faced educational and work discrimination across Europe.

This report does not mark the first time a human rights group that attempted to push for a change regarding the treatment of Roma in the Czech school system.  Over a dozen organizations, including the European Roma Rights Center, have sought to end the segregation that is resulting from the student transferring process.  In 2007, as a result of a case brought by eighteen Roma, the European Court of Human Rights ordered the Czech Prague to discontinue this practice, amending the educational system if necessary.  Amnesty International, in its report, stated that the changes made by the Czech government following the 2007 court ruling have not been sufficient.

The Czech government has offered no response to the conclusions drawn in the Amnesty International report.

For more information, please see:

SOFIA ECHO – Amnesty: End segregation in Czech schools – 14 January 2010

ROMEA – Amnesty International calls on Czech Republic to guarantee full education for all – 14 January 2010

AP – Report: Czechs Still Segregating Gypsy Kids – 13 January 2010

BBC – Amnesty says Czech schools still fail Roma Gypsies – 13 January 2010

FINANCIAL TIMES – Roma children segregated in Czech schools – 13 January 2010

PARIS, France – Legislation offered in the French parliament on Thursday that would result in a complete ban on individuals wearing veils over their faces in public.

The legislation’s sponsor is Jean-Francois Cope, the President of the center-right Union for a Popular Movement party (UMP) in the National Assembly.  President Nicolas Sarkozy is a member of the UPM.  Cope has argued that the ban is necessary on the grounds of public safety and to protect the ‘dignity’ of women.  “Permanently masking one’s face in public spaces is not an expression of individual liberty.  It’s a negation of oneself, a negation of others, a negation of social life.”  Under this legislation, those women failing to abide by its provisions would face fines of up to 7,000 euros.  Men who force women to wear a veil would face even higher fines.

This is not the first time that the issue of hear of veils and headscarves have become issues of public debate in France.  In 2004 Islamic headscarves and other certain religious symbols from school classrooms.  In the summer of 2009 a committee was established in the French parliament to hold hearings on a potential future ban on the wearing of veils in public.  President Sarkozy also commented last June that the presence of veils in France were a “sign of subservience and debasement that imprison women” in and were “not welcome”.  The President has not indicated, however, whether he supports Capo’s legislation.

Criticism to the proposed legislation has come from other French politicians.  The French Labor Minister Laurent Wauquiez commented that Cope was using this issue as a means of self-promotion.  The center-left Socialist Party opposes the ban.  National politicians have also indicated that the proposed legislation could be struck down by EU Courts, to which France is subject to.

Cope also introduced a resolution on Tuesday meant to reaffirm the nation’s values against “radical practices which harm them.”

Approximately 5 million Muslims currently live in France.  However, a recent news report noted that only approximately 400 women wear a veil, which is not required by Islam, in the country.

For more information, please see:

AP – France may ban Muslim veils – 12 January 2010

DAILY NEWS – No veiled threat – France mulls fines for wearing a burka in public – 8 January 2010

UK EXPRESS – France In Bid To Fine Those Who Wear Veils – 8 January 2010

AFP – French draft bill to fine burqa-wearing women – 7 January 2010

By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

SOFIA, Bulgaria – A Bulgarian investigative journalist and radio host, who has written a number of books exposing the extent and influence of organized crimes in Bulgaria, was killed by a number of unknown gunmen in Bulgaria’s capital city of Sofia today.  Boris Tsankov, 30, was killed at the entrance of a federal government building in the center of the city.  Two of Tsankov’s bodyguards were also wounded.

Tsankov’s books have focused on the influence that organized crime elements hold in Bulgaria.  His most recent book, entitled The Secrets of the Mobsters, resulted in Tsankov receiving a number of death threats in recent years, including the bombing of his home in 2006.  Stefan Bonov, a known criminal leader in the country, was arrested in November of this past year for threatening Tsankov.  Tsankov’s writing have also discussed connections between prominent Bulgarian businessmen and known criminal persons.  In a recent interview, Tskankov claimed to have specific information regarding internal struggles within Bulgaria’s criminal leaders, as well as information gleaned from a meeting he conducted with former Yugoslavian leader Slobodan Milosevic’s son.

Bulgaria has experienced an increased number of targeted killings in 2008.  In all, approximately 150 contract killings have taken place since 2001. Of the suspects arrested in these murders, hardly any have been convicted.

The newly elected center-right government of Bulgaria, led by Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, has promised to do more to prevent these targeted killings and fight the continued existence and influence of organized crime and corruption in the country.  Recently, the European Union has called on this government to do more to fight this corruption and the country’s criminal elements.  Concern over continued corruption recently resulted in the EU cutting large amounts of funding that had been appropriated to Bulgaria.

While Tsankov’s writings appear to be the likely explanation for his assassination, some have suggested others reasons motivations for his killing.  At the time of his death, Tsankov allegedly owed money to a number of parties who had sponsored his radio program.

The government’s investigation into Tsankov’s murder is currently ongoing.

For more information, please see:

IRISH TIMES – Author of book on local mafia shot dead in Bulgaria – 6 December 2010

BBC – Bulgaria journalist Boris Tsankov gunned down in Sofia – 5 December 2010

FINANCIAL TIMES – Gunman kill investigative journalist – 5 January 2010

SOFIA ECHO – Former radio host shot dead in Sofia – 5 January 2010

By David Sophrin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MOSCOW, Russia – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed legislation this week aimed at reforming his country’s prison system.

Under the new legislation, which amends the country’s criminal code, those who commit a tax crime but then agree to pay the back taxes, as well as the appropriate fine, will avoid any jail time.  Those awaiting trial for tax crimes also can no longer be jailed during the pretrial proceedings.  The requisite amount of money that will qualify a particular situation for the application of more serious tax evasion charges has also been increased.  Responsibility for future alleged tax crime investigations will also be shifted from the Interior Ministry to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Medvedev has indicated that it is his hope that these changes will decrease the common practice in Russia of prosecutors attempting to force suspects in giving confessions rather than carrying out a proper investigation.

These changes are part of a larger groups of proposed reforms that President Medvedev says are necessary to modernize Russia criminal justice system which “has not changed for decades”.  There are also expected to be additional changes in the future regarding those convicted of economic and non-violent offences.  These reforms come in the aftermath of the death of lawyer Sergei L. Magnitsky, who died in a Moscow prison while awaiting trial on charges of tax evasion for more than a year.  Regional and international focus on this incident increased the pressure on Russia’s leaders to take this action.

Medvedev also dismissed Alexander Piskunov, the deputy director of the Federal Penitentiary Service system.  Piskunov’s dismissal marks the twentieth firing of a leading prison system official since the death of Magnitsky this past December.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Medvedev bans imprisonment of tax offence suspects – 29 December 2009

CBS – Russian President Bans Tax Crime Suspects’ Jailing – 29 December 2009

MOSCOW TIMES – No Jail for Tax Suspects – 21 December 2009

NEW YORK TIMES – Russia: No Jail for Tax Fraud Suspects – 29 December 2009

RT – Medvedev goes mild on tax evasion – 29 December 2009