A/HRC/17/40 number of countries. Sometimes this lack of identification documents can be the result of a lack of registration in the country, administrative and financial barriers or the denial of States to recognize the validity of such documents. 19. Violence against Roma by private and public actors, sometimes resulting in injuries, death and the destruction of property remains a serious and increasing problem in many countries. In 2010, for instance the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed its concern at the increase in manifestations of racism and racist violence against Roma in France (CERD/C/FRA/CO/17-19 and Corr. 1, para. 14). Similar concerns were expressed by the Committee with regard to Germany in 2008 (CERD/C/DEU/CO/18, para. 18). Roma are also subjected to police violence and abuse, as reported for instance in France 31 and in Slovakia 32 . Others racist incidents against Roma were also reported in countries such as the Czech Republic33, Hungary34, Italy35, the Russian Federation36, the United Kingdom 37 and Turkey 38 . The Special Rapporteur is particularly concerned that investigations of racially motivated violence and crimes against Roma remain limited. The rise of extremism in Europe increases Roma vulnerability to racist violence. The then Special Rapporteur addressed this concern during his country visits to Latvia (A/HRC/7/19/Add.3, para. 61) and the Russian Federation (A/HRC/4/19/Add.3, para. 53). Furthermore it was reported that a group of skinheads assaulted Roma in Bulgaria in 2007.39 In February 2011, the Special Rapporteur received information about racist slogans against Roma, written on walls by a neo-Nazi group named Nazi Swastika in Rome. The persistence of racist and xenophobic discourse against Roma by public officials and politicians is also of concern. In recent years anti-Roma statements have been made by high-ranking State officials including Heads of State, as reported in France, and Government ministers, as reported in Bulgaria 40 , Denmark 41 , Czech Republic 42 , and Romania43. 3. Particular vulnerable groups of Roma 20. The situation of Roma migrants has recently received more attention. The poverty they experience in their country of origin, as well as racism, racial discrimination and 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 8 Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly, “Report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights on the situation of Roma in Europe and relevant activities of the Council of Europe”, section C: Explanatory memorandum, para. 18. Available from http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/Documents/WorkingDocs/Doc10/EDOC12174.htm. Ibid., para. 29. Ibid., para. 16. Ibid., paras. 20-21. Ibid., paras. 22-25. Ibid., para. 27. Ibid., para. 32. ERRC, “Factsheet” (note 8), p. 1 . Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly, “Report of the Committee” (note 31), para. 14. ERRC, “Factsheet” (note 8), p. 2. ERRC, submission concerning Denmark for consideration under the universal periodic review by the Human Rights Council at its eleventh session, para. 2.1. Available from www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/denmark-submission-un-upr-19112010.pdf. See also Claus Blok Thomsen, “Kobenhavn vil af med kriminella romaer”, Politiken, 6 July 2010. Available from http://politiken.dk/indland/ECE1011458/koebenhavn-vil-af-med-kriminelle-romaer/. ECRI, “ECRI report on the Czech Republic (fourth monitoring cycle)”, 15 September 2009, paras. 43-46. Available from www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-bycountry/Czech_Republic/CZE-CbC-IV-2009-030-ENG.pdf. ERRC, “Factsheet” (note 8), p. 2.