[Politics] :
The Supreme Court has upheld a suspended prison term for former Rep. Youn Mee-hyang, who was convicted of embezzling donations to an advocacy group for South Korean victims of sexual slavery during World War II. On Thursday the top court upheld the 18-month sentence, suspended for three years, after ...

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[Inter-Korea] :
People who suffer damages as a result of North Korea’s trash balloon campaign will eventually be eligible for government compensation. The National Assembly passed an amendment to the Framework Act on Civil Defense during a plenary session Thursday, allowing the government to provide compensation for ...

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The OSCE Mission to Moldova held the final in a series of three training sessions for 12 psychologists and professionals working with domestic violence victims. The session took place on 27 June 2016 in Rybnitsa, a town on the left bank of the Dniester/Nistru River.

The event aimed to equip participants with essential skills in family counselling and post-traumatic stress rehabilitation. Participants studied means to identify family violence, various coaching techniques to use when working with families, as well as methods for handling trauma and post-traumatic stress among domestic violence victims.

In the past week, similar training events have been held in Chisinau and Tiraspol with the total participation of 50 professionals from Bender, Causeni, Chisinau, Comrat, Drochia, Rybnitsa and Tiraspol.

Participants in the training sessions included psychologists, teachers, medical professionals, lawyers and social workers, all of whom encounter cases of domestic violence in their work through Moldova’s referral system.

The training events were held as part of the Mission’s project to strengthen the capacity of those who provide crisis services to women and families on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River. The project was developed following a country-wide assessment conducted in 2014 and 2015. The assessment identified a number of challenges in this field in Moldova, most notably the difficulties in accessing domestic violence services – including shelters and crisis centres – for those living in rural areas, and a lack of state resources. 

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KHUJAND, Tajikistan, 13 July 2016 – A two-day workshop for civil society and police officers on improving the local referral mechanisms for the protection of domestic violence victims concluded today in Khujand.

The workshop brought together some 23 representatives of crisis centres, the police, state services for social protection and the Committee of Women and Family Affairs from the Sughd region of Tajikistan.

Participants exchanged good practices on inter-agency co-operation to assist victims of violence in the region, discuss current challenges and ways to improve the current mechanism of the multi-disciplinary approach.

“This is an opportunity for the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centres from the regions to share the experiences and plans for further activities on strengthening women’s rights in the region,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer.

Within separate sessions, participants from the crisis centres shared experiences related to the rehabilitation and protection of domestic violence victims, and police inspectors discussed the provisions of the updated Instructions on dealing with domestic violence cases. Police officers also received copies of the new Manual on Countering Domestic Violence, published by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

“We learned from similar meetings organized earlier in Khatlon region that such discussions, including on concrete cases, contribute to a better co-ordinated and victim-centered, multi-agency approach in protecting domestic victims at the local level, and it harmoniously compliments the Ministry’s plans on gender mainstreaming into police reform,” said Ali Bobonazarzoda, National Co-ordinator on Police Reform under the country’s Interior Ministry.

The event is part of the annual activities of the Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Unit aimed at strengthening the current local protection mechanisms for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.  

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GARM, Tajikistan, 28 July 2016 – Some 20 representatives of civil society and state agencies working to provide direct assistance to domestic violence victims learned about good practices on local referral mechanisms in other regions of Tajikistan at a workshop held today in Garm by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

The representatives of crisis centres, the local police department, state services for social protection and medical care, the local Ombudsman’s Office, and religious leaders enhanced their knowledge of the multi-agency Working Group and how inter-agency co-operation can further assist victims of violence. They also discussed the current challenges and ways to improve the local mechanism through the use of a victim-centered approach.

“It is encouraging to see multidisciplinary approaches being applied by governmental and non-governmental partners in other regions of the country,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer. “OSCE-supported Women Resource Centres in the regions also play an important role, supplementing the efforts of local government in providing direct assistance services to domestic violence victims.”

The event was part of the OSCE support offered to the Interior Ministry in gender mainstreaming in police reform, and was aimed at institutionalizing informal mechanisms for the referral and assistance of domestic violence victims at the local level.

The OSCE Office supported similar initiatives on multi-agency working groups in the Kulyab and Djaihun regions at the end of last year and beginning of this year. 

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WARSAW / BUCHAREST, 2 August 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu, Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), called today for greater efforts to protect endangered memorial sites related to the Roma and Sinti genocide during World War II.

Speaking on the occasion of the commemoration of the liquidation of the “Gypsy family camp” at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944, when the close to 3,000 remaining Roma and Sinti in the camp were murdered, they stressed that states have to do more to demonstrate their sincere and strong commitment to education about and remembrance of the genocide.

“Positively, we have seen increasing attention in recent years on the part of OSCE participating States to commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide, and to educate people about this horrible event. This practice and these experiences should be widely shared and replicated,” Director Link said. “Promoting understanding of the Holocaust and its effect on different communities can help to create empathy and promote equality and non-discrimination for all.”

“Accurate and ethical education about the Holocaust includes the respectful and dignified preservation of memorial sites,” said Ambassador Constantinescu. “States have to take resolute action to protect endangered memorial sites and continue to do more to commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims. The history of these endangered sites should be included as part of broader efforts to educate about the consequences of indifference to racism.”

They called on governments to ensure that endangered memorial sites for Roma and Sinti victims are preserved and protected, to include this history as an integral part of civic and human rights education in their countries. They stressed that current developments, including a disturbing rise in xenophobic public rhetoric and racism, mean it is even more essential to build strong alliances among different communities.

In 2003, with the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area, the OSCE participating States committed themselves to strengthen education about the Roma and Sinti genocide. Through its Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues, ODIHR promotes knowledge about and recognition of the plight of Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust to counter present-day discrimination and racism, and to promote tolerance. According to ODIHR’s recent publication Teaching about and Commemorating the Roma and Sinti Genocide: Practices within the OSCE Area, seven OSCE participating States officially commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide on 2 August, while a larger number of states commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims on the International Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is an inter-governmental organization and the foremost international network of political leaders and professionals advancing and shaping Holocaust education, remembrance and research. Its 31 member countries are committed to the tenets of the Stockholm Declaration. The IHRA Committee on the Genocide of the Roma aims to increase the commitment of IHRA Member Countries to educate, research and commemorate the genocide of the Roma.

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KHUJAND, Tajikistan, 13 July 2016 – A two-day workshop for civil society and police officers on improving the local referral mechanisms for the protection of domestic violence victims concluded today in Khujand.

The workshop brought together some 23 representatives of crisis centres, the police, state services for social protection and the Committee of Women and Family Affairs from the Sughd region of Tajikistan.

Participants exchanged good practices on inter-agency co-operation to assist victims of violence in the region, discuss current challenges and ways to improve the current mechanism of the multi-disciplinary approach.

“This is an opportunity for the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centres from the regions to share the experiences and plans for further activities on strengthening women’s rights in the region,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer.

Within separate sessions, participants from the crisis centres shared experiences related to the rehabilitation and protection of domestic violence victims, and police inspectors discussed the provisions of the updated Instructions on dealing with domestic violence cases. Police officers also received copies of the new Manual on Countering Domestic Violence, published by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

“We learned from similar meetings organized earlier in Khatlon region that such discussions, including on concrete cases, contribute to a better co-ordinated and victim-centered, multi-agency approach in protecting domestic victims at the local level, and it harmoniously compliments the Ministry’s plans on gender mainstreaming into police reform,” said Ali Bobonazarzoda, National Co-ordinator on Police Reform under the country’s Interior Ministry.

The event is part of the annual activities of the Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Unit aimed at strengthening the current local protection mechanisms for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.  

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GARM, Tajikistan, 28 July 2016 – Some 20 representatives of civil society and state agencies working to provide direct assistance to domestic violence victims learned about good practices on local referral mechanisms in other regions of Tajikistan at a workshop held today in Garm by the OSCE Office in Tajikistan.

The representatives of crisis centres, the local police department, state services for social protection and medical care, the local Ombudsman’s Office, and religious leaders enhanced their knowledge of the multi-agency Working Group and how inter-agency co-operation can further assist victims of violence. They also discussed the current challenges and ways to improve the local mechanism through the use of a victim-centered approach.

“It is encouraging to see multidisciplinary approaches being applied by governmental and non-governmental partners in other regions of the country,” said Viorelia Rusu, the OSCE Office’s Gender and Anti-Trafficking Officer. “OSCE-supported Women Resource Centres in the regions also play an important role, supplementing the efforts of local government in providing direct assistance services to domestic violence victims.”

The event was part of the OSCE support offered to the Interior Ministry in gender mainstreaming in police reform, and was aimed at institutionalizing informal mechanisms for the referral and assistance of domestic violence victims at the local level.

The OSCE Office supported similar initiatives on multi-agency working groups in the Kulyab and Djaihun regions at the end of last year and beginning of this year. 

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• OSCE Office in Tajikistan launches Mentoring Training Programme for women politicians
• OSCE Office in Tajikistan donates audio-visual material to enhance interactive teaching at Police Academy
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WARSAW / BUCHAREST, 2 August 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu, Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), called today for greater efforts to protect endangered memorial sites related to the Roma and Sinti genocide during World War II.

Speaking on the occasion of the commemoration of the liquidation of the “Gypsy family camp” at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944, when the close to 3,000 remaining Roma and Sinti in the camp were murdered, they stressed that states have to do more to demonstrate their sincere and strong commitment to education about and remembrance of the genocide.

“Positively, we have seen increasing attention in recent years on the part of OSCE participating States to commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide, and to educate people about this horrible event. This practice and these experiences should be widely shared and replicated,” Director Link said. “Promoting understanding of the Holocaust and its effect on different communities can help to create empathy and promote equality and non-discrimination for all.”

“Accurate and ethical education about the Holocaust includes the respectful and dignified preservation of memorial sites,” said Ambassador Constantinescu. “States have to take resolute action to protect endangered memorial sites and continue to do more to commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims. The history of these endangered sites should be included as part of broader efforts to educate about the consequences of indifference to racism.”

They called on governments to ensure that endangered memorial sites for Roma and Sinti victims are preserved and protected, to include this history as an integral part of civic and human rights education in their countries. They stressed that current developments, including a disturbing rise in xenophobic public rhetoric and racism, mean it is even more essential to build strong alliances among different communities.

In 2003, with the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area, the OSCE participating States committed themselves to strengthen education about the Roma and Sinti genocide. Through its Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues, ODIHR promotes knowledge about and recognition of the plight of Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust to counter present-day discrimination and racism, and to promote tolerance. According to ODIHR’s recent publication Teaching about and Commemorating the Roma and Sinti Genocide: Practices within the OSCE Area, seven OSCE participating States officially commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide on 2 August, while a larger number of states commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims on the International Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is an inter-governmental organization and the foremost international network of political leaders and professionals advancing and shaping Holocaust education, remembrance and research. Its 31 member countries are committed to the tenets of the Stockholm Declaration. The IHRA Committee on the Genocide of the Roma aims to increase the commitment of IHRA Member Countries to educate, research and commemorate the genocide of the Roma.

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Romanian cybersecurity company Bitdefender has released a free decryptor to help victims recover data encrypted using the ShrinkLocker ransomware. The decryptor is the result of a comprehensive analysis of ShrinkLocker's inner workings, allowing the researchers to discover a "specific window of opportunity for data recovery immediately after the removal of protectors from BitLocker-encrypted

ZHUHAI, China — Authorities in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai removed wreaths, candles and even bottles of Chinese alcohol laid at the scene of the deadliest mass killing in the country in a decade, as the government scrambled to respond and censor the outrage online. On Monday, a male driver angry at his divorce settlement rammed his car into a crowd at a sports center in the city of 2.5 million, killing 35 people and injuring 43, but the government took almost a day to announce the death toll. This prompted an outrage on Chinese social media, where posts complaining about the government's slow response and raising questions about the mental health of a nation shaken by a recent spate of similar killings, were being quickly removed. Despite the efforts to clear the site in Zhuhai, which is near Macau, delivery drivers on motorbikes kept dropping off fresh flowers on Wednesday morning, even as authorities erected temporary barriers around the makeshift vigil area and deployed security personnel. “The authorities hadn’t released any information - some colleagues mentioned it and I couldn’t believe it at first, but it was confirmed later,” said a 50-year-old man who identified himself as Zheng who brought flowers to the site. “It’s just a spontaneous feeling I had. Even though I don’t know them personally, I had family members who passed away in the past, so I understand that feeling," said Zheng. Some wreaths carried handwritten notes: "Strangers travel well. May there be no demons in heaven,” read one. On another: “May there be no thugs in heaven. Good will triumph over evil. Rest in peace.” After initially allowing journalists to briefly speak to the people laying the flowers, a handful of security personnel sporting light blue uniforms and caps told reporters not to talk to the people or to film specific messages on the bouquets. The attack happened as Zhuhai captured China's attention with the People's Liberation Army's largest annual airshow, where a new stealth jet fighter is on display for the first time. China’s state broadcaster CCTV did not mention the attack in its 30-minute midday news bulletin. Instead, the program led with President Xi Jinping's departure for the APEC summit in Peru and devoted a portion of the airtime to the airshow. Other state media, such as China Daily's Chinese language website, also prominently displayed the news of Xi's upcoming visit to Peru. The current affairs part of China Daily's website and the local area page did not mention the incident either. Hundreds of rescue personnel were deployed to provide emergency treatment, and more than 300 healthcare workers from five hospitals worked around the clock to save lives, state media's Beijing Daily reported on Tuesday. There was no indication that the attack was related to the airshow. But it was the second such incident to occur during the Zhuhai airshow: in 2008, at least four people were killed and 20 injured when a man drove a truck into a crowded schoolyard during the airshow. Police said that attacker had been seeking revenge over a traffic dispute. Xi, cited by CCTV on Tuesday, ordered all-out efforts to treat the injured and demanded severe punishment for the perpetrator. The central government has dispatched a team to provide guidance on handling of the case, CCTV said. Violent crime is rare in China due to tight security and strict gun laws. However, a rise in reports of knife attacks in large cities has drawn public attention to safety in public spaces. The deadliest attack Reuters was able to identify in recent years in China took place in Urumqi, in China's western Xinjiang region, in 2014, in which suicide bombers killed 39 people and four of the five attackers also died.

new york — A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday threw out a $1.68 billion judgment against Iran's central bank that had been won by family members of troops killed and injured in the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Beirut.  The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said a lower court judge should have addressed questions of state law before ruling against Bank Markazi and Luxembourg intermediary Clearstream Banking, a unit of Deutsche Boerse.  In a 3-0 decision, the panel also rejected a claim that a 2019 federal law designed to make it easier to seize Iranian assets held outside the United States waived Bank Markazi's sovereign immunity.  That law "neither abrogates Bank Markazi's jurisdictional immunity nor provides an independent grant of subject matter jurisdiction," Circuit Judge Robert Sack wrote.    The court returned the case to U.S. District Loretta Preska, in Manhattan to address state law questions in the 11-year-old case, and whether the case can proceed in Bank Markazi's absence.  Bombing victims sought to hold Iran liable for providing material support for the October 23, 1983, suicide attack that killed 241 U.S. service members, by seizing bond proceeds held by Clearstream in a blocked account on Bank Markazi's behalf.  Bank Markazi claimed immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which generally shields foreign governments from liability in U.S. courts.  Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bank Markazi's and Clearstream's lawyers did not immediately respond to similar requests.  Iran, other U.S.-designated sponsors of terrorism, and banks accused of providing services to terrorists face thousands of claims in U.S. courts by victims and their families. It is often difficult for these claimants to collect judgments.  In the Bank Markazi case, the plaintiffs sued in 2013 to partially satisfy a $2.65 billion default judgment they had won against Iran in 2007.  Another judge dismissed the case in 2015, but the 2nd Circuit Court revived it in 2017.  Then in 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a fresh review in light of the 2019 law, which then-President Donald Trump signed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.  The plaintiffs have said they hold more than $4 billion of judgments against Iran and have been unable to collect for decades.  The case is Peterson et al v. Bank Markazi et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 15-690. 

Rosenda Lemita and Liezel Asuncion filed a case at the United Nations Human Rights Committee against the murder of their loved ones. The decision to file a case was not made lightly – it took three years of delays and disappointment from the justice system to push them to seek an international avenue.

It is a significant step towards safeguarding the rule of law and fundamental rights of citizens, say Jamiat leaders

OM Philippines send staff to assess the earthquake damages in Surigao City and provide needed disaster relief training.

Nearly two million people have been affected by the recent flooding in Colombia. The torrential rains that hit the country in the past few months caused its worst flooding in 40 years. Over 240 people have died and many had to leave their homes behind, especially along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines. OM Colombia is helping out with relief work.

Mesothelioma Victims Fight Against Proposed LegislationI was trying to find a website on cat food and I came across this beautiful article. Mesothelioma Victims Fight Against Proposed Legislationmore info hereOriginally Posted on 11/06/2005 21:47:16Content source: http://bobrboobd.blogspot.com/2004_04_14_bobrboobd_archive.html#108196373013106592

Campaign Attempts to Derail Senate Bill 2290, Asbestos Victims Trust FundHere is an article I found about the Senate Bill regarding the mesothelioma victims' trust fund. Campaign Attempts to Derail Senate Bill 2290, Asbestos Victims Trust Fundmore info hereOriginally Posted on 11/06/2005 22:29:35Content source: http://bobrboobd.blogspot.com/2004_04_18_bobrboobd_archive.html#108235099169357181

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Stakeholders in Kenyan athletics have heightened the war against gender-based violence (GBV) with the establishment of a hotline to assist those in distress.

August 31, 2005 – As the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) swings into high gear to provide disaster relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina, ACCESS has learned that the Social Security Administration has no procedures to help many of these same victims get back on their feet. The problem that many victims face is that they escaped with only the clothes on their backs; meaning that they have too little iformation for the Social Security Administration to reissue them Social Security Cards. This means that storm victims face a variety of problems that neither they, nor the Federal Government have ever even considered.

APCR is pleased to announce the acquittal of Nazmuddin alias Bhola and Mohd Ajeej, who were arrested in February 2020 in connection with the North-East Delhi riots. They faced charges under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)

(Telecompaper) The Spanish government said it has approved a Royal Decree that includes measures negotiated with telecommunications operators to automatically...

Bobby Maddex interviews Dan Christopulos, the U.S. Country Representative for International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC). Dan is in New York City this week coordinating the delivery of food, water, and blankets to those victimized by Hurricane Sandy.

A full-time fraud financial advocate will support victims in pursing compensation.

'A Miracle from God': Lives and Livelihoods Restored as Operation Blessing Helps Brazil Flood Victims

Manchester, England — Walking speed is the strongest predictor of a stoke victim’s ability to return to work, with about 3 feet per second the “critical threshold,” say researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Geneva — Nearly a quarter of workers worldwide have endured workplace violence or harassment, but only half of the victims discuss their experiences, results of a recent survey show.

Versatrim employees, including CEO Keith Medick and founder Thilo Hessler, delivered three truckloads of essential supplies to Western North Carolina communities affected by Hurricane Helene. 

The post Guidance | Joint targeted area inspection of the multi-agency response to children who are victims of domestic abuse Updated 12 September 2024 was curated by information for practice.

The post Gov. Justice awards over $16 million in Victims of Crime Act grants to 82 agencies was curated by information for practice.

Cyrell Boyd is headed to treatment at the Red Wing juvenile facility for his role in the Nudieland shooting in August 2023. At a hearing Tuesday, victims spoke to him about the shooting’s impact.

Since the start of the #MeToo movement, many accused abusers have filed defamation charges against their accusers in retaliation, advocates say. Law professor Victoria Burke wants to change that.

A day after urging sex abuse victims of current or former leaders of the embattled Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, to report their abuse to elders, longtime elder at the megachurch, Tra Willbanks, revised his advice on Sunday urging them instead to “go to the police first.”

President Biden signed a memorial bill to recognize the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting and offered his condolences to people who are awaiting news on their loved ones in the wake of the deadly Surfside, Fla., partial condo collapse.

Biden — who was vice president when a 29-year-old man killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in the nightclub mass shooting — signed the bill to enshrine a monument to the dozens killed in the Latin Night massacre.

The shooting occurred at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., in June 2016. The month of June is celebrated annually as LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States.

"May a president never have to sign another monument like this," Biden said.

Biden also offered his thoughts to the victims and loved ones of those affected by the catastrophic collapse this week of a Miami-Dade County condo. Authorities say four people have been declared dead and an additional 159 are considered missing in the rubble.

"I just want to say, I've spoken to Gov. [Ron] DeSantis, and we've provided all the help that they have, they need," Biden said. "We sent the best people from FEMA down there. We're going to stay with them."

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

International Day for the Right to Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims Today, on the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, we are sharing our interview with forensic anthropologist Mercedes Doretti, the Director of North and Central American Programs and Board Member of the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), which she also co-founded. Doretti and her colleagues collect and analyze physical evidence of human rights abuses (which often includes identifying the remains of victims of grave human rights abuses and returning them to their families), and they regularly present their findings to tribunals and legal mechanisms around the world to secure justice for those whose rights to life and personal security have been violated.

Video series aims to educate victims on what to do after being injured in a car accident to protect their legal rights

Experienced Bicycle Accident Attorneys Commit to Helping Injured Cyclists Navigate Legal Challenges

Lagos-based ministry continues proud tradition of giving back, supporting those in need

And They Are Using Their Moment As A Call to Action

Leading IT company warns Florida residents of dangers of post storm scams.

The Mesothelioma Victims Center is appealing to the family of a paper mill worker with mesothelioma to call for direct access to attorney Erik Karst of the law firm of Karst von Oiste-to develop a plan for expedited financial compensation results.

from Across the Country

Providing Legal Representation for Nursing Home Abuse Victims

The civil litigation law firm is representing apartment residents after a fire at Bell Collier Village

What to do when involved in a hit-and-run accident?

Blister Packaging for Certain Immediate Release Opioid Analgesics for Treatment of Acute Pain – Docket No. FDA-2019-N-1845 as it relates to opioid packaging, and recently passed Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients (SUPPORT) Act, passed in late 2018.

WARSAW / BUCHAREST, 2 August 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Ambassador Mihnea Constantinescu, Chair of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), called today for greater efforts to protect endangered memorial sites related to the Roma and Sinti genocide during World War II.

Speaking on the occasion of the commemoration of the liquidation of the “Gypsy family camp” at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944, when the close to 3,000 remaining Roma and Sinti in the camp were murdered, they stressed that states have to do more to demonstrate their sincere and strong commitment to education about and remembrance of the genocide.

“Positively, we have seen increasing attention in recent years on the part of OSCE participating States to commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide, and to educate people about this horrible event. This practice and these experiences should be widely shared and replicated,” Director Link said. “Promoting understanding of the Holocaust and its effect on different communities can help to create empathy and promote equality and non-discrimination for all.”

“Accurate and ethical education about the Holocaust includes the respectful and dignified preservation of memorial sites,” said Ambassador Constantinescu. “States have to take resolute action to protect endangered memorial sites and continue to do more to commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims. The history of these endangered sites should be included as part of broader efforts to educate about the consequences of indifference to racism.”

They called on governments to ensure that endangered memorial sites for Roma and Sinti victims are preserved and protected, to include this history as an integral part of civic and human rights education in their countries. They stressed that current developments, including a disturbing rise in xenophobic public rhetoric and racism, mean it is even more essential to build strong alliances among different communities.

In 2003, with the Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti within the OSCE Area, the OSCE participating States committed themselves to strengthen education about the Roma and Sinti genocide. Through its Contact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues, ODIHR promotes knowledge about and recognition of the plight of Roma and Sinti during the Holocaust to counter present-day discrimination and racism, and to promote tolerance. According to ODIHR’s recent publication Teaching about and Commemorating the Roma and Sinti Genocide: Practices within the OSCE Area, seven OSCE participating States officially commemorate the Roma and Sinti genocide on 2 August, while a larger number of states commemorate the Roma and Sinti victims on the International Holocaust Memorial Day, 27 January.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance is an inter-governmental organization and the foremost international network of political leaders and professionals advancing and shaping Holocaust education, remembrance and research. Its 31 member countries are committed to the tenets of the Stockholm Declaration. The IHRA Committee on the Genocide of the Roma aims to increase the commitment of IHRA Member Countries to educate, research and commemorate the genocide of the Roma.

Related Stories

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• OSCE workshop in Kosovo focuses on improving the recording of hate crimes
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