Bulgaria: Human rights violations of persons with mental disabilities

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, the Mental Disability Advocacy Center and the World Organisation Against Torture, call on the Bulgarian Parliament to adopt effective legislation to protect persons with mental disabilities in Bulgaria from social exclusion and severe human rights violations including inhuman and degrading treatment Persons with mental disabilities constitute one of the most marginalised and discriminated groups in Bulgarian society. They frequently face discrimination, social exclusion and severe human rights violations, including violence and ill-treatment. Inadequate legislation together with entrenched institutional policies and practices also compromise their socio-economic wellbeing, as well as that of their families. The Bulgarian Family Code is currently under revision and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC), the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre (MDAC) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) express their concern that the current final draft does not meet the needs of persons with disabilities in Bulgaria and does not comply with the basic requirements of international human rights law. These organisations call on Bulgarian Parliamentarians and Government to ensure that the law under consideration is substantially revised before its adoption in order to effectively protect the rights of persons with mental disabilities.