Human rights in Romania

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Human rights in Romania are generally respected by the government. However, there have been controversies regarding a number of issues, including during the 2004 and 2009 elections.[1] Romania was ranked 56th out of 167 countries in the 2010 Democracy Index and is described as a "flawed democracy", similar to other countries in Eastern Europe.

Police brutality

There were reports in 2003 and 2004 of police brutality, in particular against Roma, and concerns raised about the failure of the government to fully investigate and prosecute alleged cases of police brutality.[1]

Freedom of the press

The government has been accused at times of restricting freedom of the press. Journalists who wrote reports critical of government policies and actions have claimed they were targets for harassment and intimidation during the Romanian presidential election, 2004. Romania was ranked 52nd out of 178 countries in Reporters Without Borders' 2010 Press Freedom Index; another report by Freedom House describes the Romanian press as "partly free".

Human trafficking

There has been a growing awareness of human trafficking as a human rights issue in Europe (see main article: trafficking in human beings). The end of communism has contributed to an increase in human trafficking, with the majority of victims being women forced into prostitution.[2][3] Romania is a country of origin and country of transit for persons, primarily women and children, trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The Romanian government has shown some commitment to combat trafficking but has been criticized for failing to fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Romania
  2. ↑ default
  3. ↑ "A modern slave's brutal odyssey". BBC News. 2004-11-03. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  4. ↑ V. Country Narratives - Countries Q through Z
  5. ↑ Romania - Coalition Against Trafficking of Women