The deputy of the People`s Advocate Tudor Lazăr was self-informed from the media regarding a discrimination case of a person with disabilities, A.G., in Hînceşti town.
Recently the young man was restricted in access to a nightclub in the mentioned town, where he had come with his friends. According to the A. G., the nightclub manager said that he cannot come because he is in a wheelchair. Subsequently, the representative of the nightclub said that the young man will have access only if his friend will brought him in arms but leaving the a wheelchair outside.
Due to the Ombudsman indication the principal consultants Mrs. Svetlana Rusu and Ada Şimon went to Hînceşti in order to clarify this situation. The employees of the National Ombudsman Office had a meeting with the young man A.G., with the one witness of the incident, talked on the phone with the owner of the night club, and met other representatives of this institution. CHRM officials found that the facts related by A.G. are true.
According to paragraph 3) of Article 23 of the Law of the People’s Advocate, which provides the possibility of ombudsman involvement to address issues raised "by reconciling the parties and seeking mutually acceptable solutions" will be made efforts to amicably settle the occurred conflict. If the nightclub administration will not accept this, the ombudsman will act the court the respective institution in the interest the young man A. G.
Under Article 711 of the Contravention Code, any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on a protected ground, including disability manifested in people's access to cultural and recreational services and other services and assets available to the public, are punishable by a fine of 100 to 140 conventional units for individuals and by a fine of 200 to 350 conventional units for persons in position of responsibility and by a fine of 350 to 450 conventional units for legal entities.
The Ombudsman Tudor Lazăr condemns any discrimination of persons, regardless of reasons or criteria of differentiation, resulting in violation of fundamental rights of concerned citizens. The Hincesti incident proofs that in our society there are prejudices regarding people who are different from others in the community, including on the basis of disability, says Deputy People’s Advocate.
The preconceptions about the citizens of this category of persons, considered by some to be "inferior" in order to be together with others, and any attempts of segregation on grounds of disability or other criteria, cannot be tolerated!
Such facts and attitudes must be condemned vehemently and not admitted in the future, considers the ombudsman Tudor Lazăr.
