With the judgment of 29 July 2022, the district court dismissed our anti-discrimination lawsuit in the case of segregation of Roma women in separate rooms at the maternity word in the hospital in Prešov.

We filed an appeal against the verdict these days. We ask the appeals court to change the judgment of the district court and comply with our claim.

We criticize the district court for having misjudged the whole matter when it came to the conclusion that the separation of Roma women in the maternity ward is legal and does not constitute discrimination.

On the contrary, we think that we have demonstrated in the proceedings that Roma rooms exist and as such constitute discriminatory treatment. It does not have to be an intention on the part of the hospital to segregate, segregation can also occur voluntarily, without the intention to segregate.

We also claim that, in addition to the hospital, the Ministry of Health, which is its founder, is also responsible for the given situation. The Ministry has known about the situation for a long time, and instead of taking action, it just looks on passively.

We believe that the Court of Appeal will overturn this illegal decision and that Roma women in maternity hospitals will receive justice.