News

Michal Miko on the death of a Romani man in Žatec: What next?

21.10.2016 19:42 Since yesterday evening I have not been able to sleep because of the situation that happened in Žatec this Tuesday. Was that act the beginning of something deeper in this society?  full story

Analysis: Swiss Parliament approves law on "solidarity aid" to victims of forced sterilization

21.10.2016 17:20 "Solidarity contribution" instead of compensation  full story

videoCzech Police said to have prevented parents of deceased Romani man from seeing his body before the autopsy

21.10.2016 15:11 The video above is an interview with Miroslav Demeter, the father of the young Romani man who died in Žatec earlier this week. Many things remain unclear about what precisely happened when the man entered the Panamera restaurant.  full story

Stanislava Ondová: I'm beginning to no longer feel safe in our Czech Republic

21.10.2016 14:01 We probably all know by now that a young father of two children has died in Žatec under very strange circumstances. According to the Czech Police, nobody is to blame for his death even though video footage recorded by a customer at the restaurant where the incident took place appears to show something else.  full story

videoEyewitness says assailants shouting racist abuse and beating Romani man before he died were in full view of Czech Police

21.10.2016 13:16 The video above is an interview with an eyewitness who saw part of the incident on 18 October in the Czech town of Žatec that resulted in the death of a Romani man. Eyewitness Miroslav Mašek says he saw the incident through the glass wall of the pizzeria.  full story

Patrik Banga: Dear Czech Police, 27-year-olds do not just up and die

21.10.2016 12:11 Three days ago, somebody died in the town of Žatec under circumstances that are basically absolutely unclear. According to one version of what happened, the man assaulted customers in a restaurant and local police intervened against him.  full story

Czech Police say autopsy finds young Romani man's death was not caused by a third party

21.10.2016 10:15 The Czech Police are asserting that the initial findings of a court-ordered autopsy have not ascertained any third-party culpability for the death of a young Romani man at a pizzeria in Žatec. The man died on 18 October, shortly after 19:00, after getting into a scuffle with other customers which local police officers intervened in also.  full story

Czech Republic: Two local assemblies memorialize Romani man's death

21.10.2016 9:31 In the Czech towns of Louny and Žatec, assemblies were held yesterday at 15:00 to memorialize the death of a young Romani man in a local pizzeria. The first gathering took place on Tyršovo Square in Louny, where more than 30 people gathered.  full story

Czech Republic: Young Romani man has died after a scuffle, no charges filed yet

20.10.2016 20:32 On Tuesday, 18 October at around 19:00 a conflict took place among customers at a pizzeria in the Czech town of Žatec, one of whom, a young Romani man, died afterward. Local police officers intervened during the scuffle.  full story

Hungary: 1 000 fans of Roma Pride march through Budapest, honor Romani revolutionaries

20.10.2016 19:40 The Roma Pride event took place yesterday for the fourth time in the Hungarian capital with an assembly and subsequent march attended by roughly 1 000 people. News server Origo.hu quoted educator Mónika Rózsa, a member of the Roma Club Foundation, which organizes the event, as saying Roma Pride Day is a public event where members of the Romani community espouse their identity and embrace each other.  full story

Fifty legislators meet with the Dalai Lama in the Czech Senate, criticize statement by high officials

20.10.2016 18:30 Approximately 50 Czech MPs and Senators met yesterday morning in the Senate with the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Czech MP Petr Gazdík, vice-chair of the Chamber of Deputies (for the TOP 09 and Mayors coalition) posted about the meeting on Facebook.  full story

Purges at the Czech Freedom Fighters' Union - critics of xenophobic chair excluded, two branches closed

20.10.2016 17:34 The Central Committee of the Czech Freedom Fighters' Union (Český svaz bojovníků za svobodu - ČSBS) closed its Jičín and Kladno district member organizations during a meeting on 18 October. Three individual members have also been excluded from the union.  full story

Czech Republic: Roma Spirit 2016 announces final candidates

20.10.2016 15:48 Two expert juries, one in Brno and one in Prague, have chosen the candidates for the Roma Spirit award in the Czech Republic this year. Of a total of 216 nominations submitted by the public, 15 finalists have been chosen.  full story

The Dalai Lama speaks about Havel's legacy, significance of the EU during Prague visit

19.10.2016 11:35 Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama says the 21st century must be one of compassion and dialogue conducted with all, including those who engage in combat and kill others. He believes a change in how the world is experienced and perceived will come about with the next generation, who will accent the inner worth of human beings and respect for others more than they will accent the temporary satisfaction of their own desires.  full story

Czech expert testifies that activists' sign was anti-Jewish incitement

19.10.2016 6:48 In Jihlava yesterday the trial opened in the case of the chair of the ultra-right National Democracy (ND) party, Adam B. Bartoš and his former vice-chair, Ladislav Zemánek. The indictment was read and the accused gave testimony.  full story

Slovak President: Politicians should not play with fire and go as far as populism

18.10.2016 21:29 Yesterday Slovak President Andrej Kiska gave a speech opening the Forum 2000 conference at which he said politicians should be aware of their responsibilities at this complex time. They should not play with fire or use words to spark emotions among people that might have far-reaching consequences, he said.  full story

Members of the European Parliament urge European Commission to move EU-subsidized pig farm from Lety site

17.10.2016 15:42 More than 80 legislators, some with the European Parliament and many at national level in 20 different EU Member States, have urged the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, to begin addressing the situation of the former concentration camp for Romani people at Lety by Písek, where an industrial pig farm stands today. The legislators say the genocide of Romani people was perpetrated at that site and the EU must commit to making sure it is in a dignified state.  full story

Czech Republic: New project supports high school education among residents of Chanov housing estate

17.10.2016 14:43 News server iDNES.cz reports that at the Chanov housing estate in Most a new education project is being launched called "Support for High School Education for Youth at Chanov". The project will run for three years and involves a local primary school, the House of Roma Culture (Dům romské kultury), a vocational training institution in the Velebudice quarter and the nonprofit organization Naděje, targeting pupils attending 7th, 8th and 9th grade.  full story

UK Boxing Board of Control suspends Tyson Fury, fighter with Irish Traveller roots relinquishes remaining titles to get sober

16.10.2016 9:16 In the wake of canceling his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko for a second time, boxing champion Tyson Fury has announced that he wants to concentrate exclusively on resolving his personal problems, including addiction. Promotion agency Hennessy Sports has released an official statement to that effect.  full story

Czech Senate elections: Some anti-Romani candidates win, some lose

16.10.2016 8:12 The Czech Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) have won this year's Senate elections. Candidates with that party's support have won in nine precincts.  full story