Police surveillance and discrimination against Romani communities

In Slovenia, the Act on Urgent Measures to Ensure Public Security (“Sutar Law”) was adopted in November 2025 and entered into force in January 2026. According to the Roma Feminist Collective, the law expands police powers in designated “security risk areas”, authorising home raids, surveillance, and the use of digital surveillance technologies, including drones and automated licence plate recognition systems. It also introduces restrictions on access to social benefits linked to these areas.

The Collective believes the law and its implementation disproportionately targets Romani communities and violates fundamental rights, including the rights to privacy, data protection, non-discrimination, and other digital rights protected under Slovenian constitutional law, EU law, and international human rights standards. The deployment of automated and semi-automated surveillance technologies in racially and socio-economically defined areas raises concerns about discriminatory profiling, large-scale personal data processing, lack of transparency, and insufficient safeguards.

The Collective are preparing a case seeking a ruling that the practices introduced under the Sutar Law are incompatible with these legal standards. During the pre-litigation phase, they will conduct desk research and interviews with activists and affected Romani community members to document concrete harms and directly inform a targeted litigation strategy.