The
European Court of Human Rights Condemns Spain for Failing to
Investigate Racist & Sexist Acts of Violence by Police Officers in
Ms. Beauty Solomons case
Madrid, July 24th 2012 - The
facts of this case date from July 2005, when Beauty Solomon, a woman of
Nigerian descent, resident in Spain, was assaulted by national police
officers in
Palma de Mallorca. While purporting to carry out an identity check, the
officers struck her with a baton and shouted discriminatory insults
such as black slut.
After
exhausting domestic remedies, Womens Link Worldwide brought the case
to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2008 in light of the
failure by all national courts
to investigate the facts of the case. This week, the ECtHR condemned
the Spanish State for violating Beauty Solomons right to be free from
cruel, inhumane and degrading
treatment by failing to comply with the obligation to effectively
investigate the racist and sexist violent acts alleged. This is the
first decision by the ECtHR that recognizes the situation of extreme vulnerability of black women in Spain.
The
Court has condemned the discrimination by the police officers that
assaulted and insulted Beauty Solomon as well as the failure of various
Spanish courts to investigate her
complaints. We are extremely happy for Beauty and are pleased that
justice has been done. We hope that this decision will lead
to the protection from violence and the prosecution of discrimination
by the relevant authorities regardless of who the victim is declared Viviana Waisman, Executive Director of Womens Link.
In
recognition of the suffering and humiliation that such violence and
discrimination causes, the Court ordered Spain to pay Ms. Solomon 30,000
Euros in non-pecuniary damages. This is one of the largest sums awarded
by the ECtHR in a case of police violence and discrimination.
Beauty Solomon said I
am very happy that finally justice had been done. I am grateful to
Womens Link. I hope this decision helps put an end to this type of
human rights violations.
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