“It is important that such hate and racially-motivated crimes are effectively prosecuted, with the
additional aggravated grounds of ‘racial, national or religious enmity or hostility’ taken into account,
instead of being merely considered as ‘hooliganism’.
“Forced evictions triggered by the destruction and burning of homes are a gross violation of human rights
and must be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted”, the experts added.
The UN experts note that the Minister of Interior, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Ukrainian
Parliament and the Ombudsperson have publically denounced the attacks.
“We urge the Ukrainian authorities to take all appropriate measures to comply with their international
human rights obligations, including with regard to the protection of the rights of individuals belonging to
national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities. They must investigate all attacks against the Roma
minority, and provide remedies for all damages, including adequate compensation for victims. Those who
lost their homes and property during the attacks need to be provided with safe and secure alternative
housing by the authorities, until adequate compensation is provided.”
“In our view, coordinated and sustained actions are necessary to prevent such attacks, ensure justice, and
end impunity.”
The UN experts have been in contact with the Government of Ukraine to seek further clarification and
information on the cases."
OHCHR, Human Rights Council discusses oral update on the human rights situation in Ukraine, 3 July 2018
"Brutal attacks and threats against Roma were also deeply troubling. Extreme right-wing groups were
perpetrating attacks against Roma settlements in Kyiv."
OHCHR, Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human
rights situation in Ukraine between 16 May and 15 August 2017 (civilian casualties; missing persons;
summary executions; torture; other topics), Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights on the human rights situation in Ukraine (16 May to 15 August 2017) [A/HRC/36/CRP.2],
15 September 2017
"OHCHR is also concerned about health and possible environmental risks, posed either directly by the
armed hostilities or as secondary consequences. 17. OHCHR documented further incidents of violence
and discrimination against the Roma community, some involving local authorities, including the shooting
to death of one Roma in Vilshany and the destruction of a Roma camp in Lviv. […] A notable lack of
investigations into forced evictions and displacement of Roma prevented accountability for such human
rights violations. 18. Restitution and rehabilitation of civilian property destroyed or damaged due to the
conflict, or compensation, remain among the most pressing unaddressed socio-economic issues. […]
Discrimination against Roma 131. OHCHR observed the continuation of a worrisome trend of violence and
discrimination against Roma people throughout Ukraine, in some cases involving local authorities. […]
[footnoteRef:176] On 21 July 2017, in Lviv, a Roma camp was set on fire, and another two smaller Roma
camps were abandoned, following a statement by a member of the Lviv city council, on 20 July, urging
local authorities to take more rigorous actions to “resolve” the Roma issue, including by evicting Roma
from Lviv. […] OHCHR is concerned about the lack of investigations of crimes committed against members
of the Roma community, particularly regarding the forced displacement of a Roma community in Kyiv, in
April 2017, and the forced eviction of Roma families in Loshchynivka village, Odesa region, in August
2016."
ECRI, Report on racism and intolerance (legislation against racism and discrimination; hate speech; racist
and homo/transphobic violence; integration policies; policies to combat discrimination and intolerance
towards LGBT people), ECRI Report on Ukraine (fifth monitoring cycle), 19 September 2017
18
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