Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Geneva’s Rom population has received support from the canton’s justice system in its ongoing fight with the police over begging in the city. An appeals court Thursday 17 December upheld an earlier decision that a group had been arrested illegally, and their fines have been overturned. In some cases the fines had been turned into jail time, when those caught begging did not have the money to cover their fines.

The ruling could affect thousands of other fines, 20 Minutes was told by Mesemrom, a group that represents Rom interests in Geneva.

The court ruled that Geneva police were wrong to arrest and publish the names of the offenders in the Feuille d’avis officiel (FAO, or official record). Police did so, starting in 2008 when the city cracked down on begging, because the Roms had no fixed address. They were charged CHF90 for appearing in the FAO, in addition to the fines. A lawyer for a group of Roms took the case to court, pointing out that Roms’ identity cards from Romania include their addresses. A lower court agreed with the lawyer but the city appealed the decision.

Links to other sites: 20 Minutes (Fre), Mesemrom, Eric Roset’s photos of Rom life in Geneva

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