THE AMERICAN Helsinki Committee is not satisfied with the results of the investigation of alleged illegal sterilisation of Roma women, which closed at the end of October. The committee called on the government to thoroughly investigate the case, the daily SME wrote.
In a letter for Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, the committee wrote that the investigation had serious deficits and overlooked some important circumstances of the cases.
However, the TASR news wire reported that the Slovak Prime Minister's Office had not, as of November 27, received the letter of the American Helsinki committee - posted on its web site.
Prime ministerial spokesman Martin Maruška said that, after the letter is delivered, Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda would inform its authors, in writing, about the actions the Government took and is still taking in this case.
The investigation took place following a complaint filed in January by Deputy Prime Minister Pál Csáky.
A media campaign about reputed sterilisation of Roma women in Slovakia started with the report by the New York Centre for Reproductive Rights and the Advisory Service for Civil and Human Rights titled Body and Soul: Forced Sterilisations and Other Attacks on the Reproductive Freedom of Roma in Slovakia. The report alleges that there have been more than 110 cases of forced and violent sterilisations of Roma women in state hospitals in eastern Slovakia since 1989.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
28. Nov 2003 at 11:00
