On February 20, Romania marks the Day of the Liberation of the Roma

It is 166 years since the Roma were freed from slavery, after more than five centuries in the Romanian Principalities. Since 2011, by law, February 20 is marked in Romania as the Day of the Liberation of the Roma, in order to bring to light a page of history not well known and researched. The process of liberation, started in 1837 by Mihail Kogalniceanu, and was completed on February 20, 1856 by the ruler Barbu Stirbei, who promulgated the last act by which they became free people.

The Roma Culture Center chose to mark this moment by launching the documentary "10 years of fighting slavery. The truths of Ioana", a real story discovered in the archives. Anca Capros, with details in Radiojurnal:

Reporter: From these archival documents, Adrian Nicolae Furtuna, sociologist at the Roma-Romano Kher Culture Center, chose the story of Ioana Tinculeasa, born in a family of royal slaves but abusively married to a slave of a boyar from Brailoiu. Apparently she was a bookworm, and in 1843, when she learned of the emancipation of the royal slaves, she tried to seek justice in court and rebelled against the custom of the land, which gave her masters the right to consider her their property.

Gheorghe Bibescu frees the royal slaves from Wallachia. After the abolition of slavery among the royal slaves, she wants even more freedom and acts in court.

Reporter: Ioana's trial lasted ten years. On July 17, 1853, she and her children were declared free from slavery. Three years later, on February 20, all Roma became free in Romanian Lands.

Director: The documentary "10 years of fighting slavery. The truths of Ioana" can be watched on the Facebook page of the Roma Culture Center.

Translated by: Radu Matei