Council of Europe: Reports on racism in Armenia, Georgia, Iceland,
Portugal and Slovenia

Strasbourg, 13.02.2007 – The Council of Europe’s expert body on
combating racism, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
(ECRI), today released five new reports examining racism, xenophobia,
antisemitism and intolerance in Armenia, Georgia, Iceland, Portugal and
Slovenia. ECRI recognises that positive developments have occurred in
all five of these Council of Europe member countries. At the same time,
however, the reports detail continuing grounds for concern for the
Commission:

In Armenia, the authorities have amended the Constitution to provide for
equality before the law for everyone under Armenian jurisdiction. But no
comprehensive body of civil and administrative anti-discrimination
provisions has been passed. The Yezidi minority continues to face
problems with regard to land, water and grazing issues and some members
of this community have still not acquired property titles for their
land.

In Georgia, new criminal law provisions have been introduced to prohibit
racial discrimination and incitement to racial hatred. But members of
non-traditional religious minorities can still be exposed to physical
attacks on them or their property. A number of shortcomings must be
remedied in asylum law and practice. The authorities are insufficiently
aware of the situation of some minority groups such as Roma and
migrants, and do not monitor it sufficiently.

In Iceland, the State has assumed increasing responsibility and
ownership in the field of meeting asylum seekers’ reception needs. But
the legal framework to combat racism and racial discrimination still
remains to be strengthened and better implemented. The position of
immigrant women who are victims of domestic violence continues to be a
cause for concern to ECRI.

In Portugal, the High Commission for Immigration and Ethnic Minorities
has been restructured and strengthened (this institution actively works
to facilitate the integration of immigrants and to combat racism and
racial discrimination). But Roma/Gypsy communities still suffer from
social exclusion. Access to education, to public services and to housing
remains problematic for these communities.

In Slovenia, the legal framework against racial discrimination has been
strengthened through the adoption of primary antidiscrimination
legislation covering different areas of life. But the situation of those
persons who were unlawfully erased from the register of permanent
residents in February 1992 has not yet been solved. In the absence of an
overall strategy to simultaneously address all areas where Roma
experience disadvantage and discrimination, the members of this group
are still in need of special support in order to enjoy equal
opportunities with the rest of the Slovenian population.

These new reports form part of a third monitoring cycle of Council of
Europe member states’ laws, policies and practices aimed at combating
racism. ECRI’s country-specific reports are available in English, French
and the national language of the country concerned at
They cover all member states on an equal
footing, from the perspective of protecting human rights. They examine
whether ECRI’s main recommendations from previous reports have been
followed and, if so, to what degree of success and effectiveness.

Press Release
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 094a07
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A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
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common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 46
member states.