Without a Chance - The experiences of the HCLU's Romaprogram

“The water will stink” – says a Roma child in Gyöngyöspata, of one of the reasons why teachers do not allow them to participate in swimming training at school. This is just one example of discrimination faced by Roma children in the local elementary school. Still, HírTV, one of Hungary’s television news channels, is producing programs - including one made to seem as an investigative report - which aim to present the lack of segregation at the school. HírTV even went as far as to deem a journalist of the British paper The Guardian and the HCLU non-credible and liars. In its reaction to the HCLU’s film and article, HírTV is threatening the HCLU with a copyright lawsuit, however the letter not once refers to the contents and statements of our film contradicting their previous programs, which we find to be quite significant.

A man from Borsodbóta had some logs valued at 3,200 forints in his wheelbarrow, when the police surrounded him, handcuffed him, and took him, along with his 17 and 19 year old sons, to jail. They kept them in jail for three days. Without taking into consideration that the 17 year old son was a minor, they interrogated him, didn’t give him proper representation, and made him sign papers without him knowing their content.

Orosz Béla was fined 50 thousand forints for a minor offence. In a letter sent on August 8th, he informed the police that because of his poverty, he cannot pay the fine, but would like to work off his debts through community service. He did not receive a response from the police. Two months later, the courts informed him that they will hold a hearing regarding the conversion of his fine into a prison sentence. This procedure is illegal; the judicial authorities disregarded the laws relating to offences.