Within the framework of this project, Memorial lawyers M. Arefieva and
\nM. Nosova carry out legal monitoring in locations where Romani-Kotlyars live
\ncompactly, enlist the services of local lawyers and consult them on
\nquestions of legal support for this ethnic group. In March 2008, a seminar
\nconference was organized for the lawyers involved in the project to allow
\nthem to exchange their experiences, since they are all confronted with
\nsimilar questions at one point or another.<\/p>\n
Changes in legislation and the economic situation, and the social-economic
\nvulnerability and isolation of compact Romani settlements, create the
\nthreat of rights violations, and obstacles to the realisation of rights,
\nfor the residents. Most often, this is connected with the Romani-Kotlyars
\nresidence in the compact settlements, for which documents have not been
\nlegalized in the required way or have not gone through the full process of
\nlegalization. This situation can lead to people being evicted without any
\nkind of compensation, if the land occupied by their houses is bought by a
\npotential developer. However, although the project was focused primarily on
\nthe defence of the Romani citizens rights to housing, it became clear
\nduring the course of the work that the Roma need legal help, both in the
\nrealization of their children’s right to school education and the
\nright to receive identity documents.<\/p>\n
In 2007, legal monitoring was carried out in more than 15 Romani-Kotlyar
\nsettlements located in various regions of Russia:
\nNorthwest, Central, Povolzhye, Siberia and Ural. In 10 Romani
\nsettlements, local lawyers, by agreement with Memorial, had begun work defending the rights of residents
\nof the compact Romani settlements by contacting local authorities and
\ncarrying out legal proceedings. Last year, of all the cases, only one (in
\nthe Tambovsk oblast) concerned the defence of Romani children’s rights to
\nschool education. Five more projects which will focus not only on the right
\nto housing, but also on other social rights, are planned.<\/p>\n
In Chudovo (Novgorod Oblast) and Yaroslavl, where Roma were forced to leave
\ntheir places of residence, lawyers carried out work in courts, since the
\nlocal administration decided to use the land on which the Roma live for
\nother purposes. However, after court hearings, the local authorities agreed
\nto grant the Roma land parcels for resettlement and building new private
\nhomes.<\/p>\n
In Tyumen the Memorial lawyers and the limited liability company
\nPartner-Invest, a building firm, reached an agreement for alternative
\naccommodation in town to be granted to the Roma for resettlement once the
\nright to lease the land parcel where the Roma are living had been obtained.
\nAt the present moment, work is taking place on the legal implementation of
\nthis agreement, which will undoubtedly become a fundamentally new and
\npositive practice in the context of the project and in the lives of
\nRomani-Kotlyars as a whole.<\/p>\n
The legal project contributes to the development of cooperation between ADC
\nMemorial and Russian human rights organisations and their divisions: The
\nKazan Human Rights Centre, Migration and Rights, and the Rule of Law
\nInstitute. Contacts are also being maintained with international
\norganisations such as the International Federation for Human Rights, OSI
\nJustice Initiative, The European Roma Rights Centre, and UN and OSCE human
\nrights organisations, since the problems faced by compact Romani
\nsettlements are not unique to Russia but are typical in other countries
\ntoo, and greater attention is being paid to these problems at international level.