Moral damages awarded in a case of hate crimes based on sexual orientation
In November 2010, for the first time in Romania a court imposed on a Romanian institution to pay moral damages worth EUR 50,000 for discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation. According to Accept NGO, a person represented by Accept NGO, “filed a lawsuit against the National Penitentiary Administration claiming lack of protection from the institution when it came to acts of sexual violence, harassment, threats and discrimination done by other persons deprived of liberty with whom the person had been in detention…. The lawyers claimed discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation through the repeated failure of the authorities to solve the verbal and written complaints of the plaintiff and to take measures in order to prevent vengeance acts and to ensure a safe detention environment. In particular, the reoccurrence of the violence acts with a discriminatory character have taken place in a public institution, in the context of absence of policies, practices or internal regulations protecting the persons belonging to vulnerable groups, including sexual minorities or persons who are in danger of being abused.” The NGO commended the ruling, although it also mentioned it is not final.
Source:
Presentation of the case on the webpage of Accept NGO, available at: http://accept-romania.ro/lobby-advocacy/alte-actiuni/ (Accessed on 05.03.2012)
