European Court of Human Rights rules against Hungary in Roma discrimination case
Image: Euronews
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg issued a judgment on 30 March in the case of Szolcsán v Hungary, a racial segregation case that was initiated in 2016. A Romani Hungarian citizen, Imre Szolcsán, was a student in a segregated school attended exclusively by Roma children in Piliscsaba. When his mother attempted to transfer him to another non-segregated school, the request was denied without explanation. With the help of the Chance for Children Foundation, they took the case to local courts and then to the Hungarian Supreme Court, where their appeals were denied.
Supported by the European Roma Rights Centre, the case was brought before the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in favor of the applicant. The Court found that Hungary violated articles of the European Convention of Human Rights related to non-discrimination, and ordered the government to pay a fine of 7000 euros. The judgment also requires the government to implement public policies aimed at abolishing Roma segregation in the education system.
Adél Kegye, the ERRC lawyer representing the family, said that the decision sets a precedent for the further improvement of the situation of Roma children in the country[1].
The ECHR judgment is available online.
Author: Laura Vizi
