News

International Organization for Migration data shows how biased reporting is about migrants in Europe

1.8.2016 17:35 Because the flood of (mainly negative) reporting about the so-called refugee crisis in the Czech Republic can make it seem like we are living at a time of unprecedented migration and that Europe is at risk of an exodus from the rest of the world onto its territory, it is worth taking a look at the data and statistics that are available about this phenomenon. A closer look at the numbers on migration to the Czech Republic, to Europe, and around the globe not only refutes many myths, it introduces some surprising findings.  full story

Czech Roma to mark International Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day at Auschwitz memorial

1.8.2016 11:20 Tomorrow, Tuesday, 2 August, Roma people from all over Europe will mark International Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day. On the night of 2 August 1944 and into the early
morning hours of 3 August 1944, a total of 2 898 Sinti (German Roma) and Roma children, men and women were murdered in the gas chambers of the Nazi concentration and
extermination camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland.  full story

Czech-language disinformation websites spread pro-Kremlin propaganda, are anti-Romani and racist

31.7.2016 12:16 The organization European Values (Evropské hodnoty) says that an economic, media and political disinformation campaign has been underway in the Czech Republic for a long time that is part of the hybrid warfare being waged by the Russian Federation against Western democracies, and that the intensity of this propaganda significantly increased at the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. As part of its Kremlin Watch project, the organization has compiled a list of disinformation websites including the characteristics of their content and the authors they publish in order to help readers orient themselves in the pro-Kremlin scene.  full story

Czech MPs join platform against multiculturalism

31.7.2016 8:55 The Czech daily Právo reported on 29 July that Czech MP Zdeněk Soukup (ANO) has created a platform against multiculturalism. "Whoever identifies with our 10 commandments can become a member - if they can get over their fear. Some party secretariats view us with distrust," he told the paper.  full story

German Chancellor still believes her country can handle the impacts of attacks and immigration

30.7.2016 16:09 German Chancellor Angela Merkel remains convinced that Germany can deal with the impacts of the current terrorist attacks and of immigration. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, she promised that Berlin will do all it can to apprehend the people responsible for last week's attacks.  full story

Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion says amendments to consumer loan law will help combat exclusion

30.7.2016 13:47 The recently-approved amendments to the law on consmer loans will transfer supervision of the market in non-bank loans to the Czech National Bank, will limit sanctions for non-payment, and will place greater emphasis on creditors' responsibilities when providing loans. One of the main anticipated benefits of the changes to aid with limiting the indebtedness of the socially vulnerable should be a significant reduction in the number of usurious companies providing credit.  full story

Czech court overturns fine against club for refusing Romani patrons admission after errors found in investigation

30.7.2016 13:09 The Regional Court in Brno, Czech Republic has overturned a fine of CZK 200 000 (EUR 7 400) handed down by the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI) against the JOLS company in Jihlava for discriminating against Romani people who were allegedly denied entry to one of the company's clubs in 2014. The firm argued that the specific individuals whom it did not permit into the club had previously caused problems there and that it does not refuse entry to Romani people across the board.  full story

Czech Radio: Political scientist says Europe is not the epicenter of political violence, but anti-Muslim hate is spreading there

30.7.2016 11:27 Tuesday's "Interview Plus" program on Czech Radio focused on the question of the ongoing terrorist attacks in Europe. Ondřej Ditrych, a political scientist at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University in Prague and the Institute of International Relations, discussed the impact of how the media reports such events and whether a growth in violence is actually happening in Europe that should give us reason to panic.  full story

Czech Republic: New expert witness provides yet another explanation why Romani man died after police intervention

30.7.2016 9:34 On Monday yet another hearing was held at the Sokolov District Court in the matter of the death of Ľudovit K. in the West Bohemian town of Kynšperk. The father of three young children died two days after being subjected to an intervention by two police officers in May 2012.
 full story

German Police in Lower Saxony raid Islamist radicals

29.7.2016 15:35 Police in Lower Saxony, Germany, have conducted extensive raids against so-called Salafists who profess a radical form of Islam. The action targeted the association of the German-language Islamic Circle (DIK).  full story

German Police say Munich shooter was an ultra-right supporter proud of sharing a birthdate with Hitler

29.7.2016 8:47 Yesterday the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) said sources close to the investigation of the shooting in Munich one week ago said the shooter who murdered nine people before committing suicide was a racist and supporter of the ultra-right. During his rampage near the Olympia shopping center, the attacker chose his victims from among those who he believed were immigrants, according to police sources.  full story

Czech-language online hoax alleges terrorist attack in Prague in order to steal personal data

29.7.2016 8:10 A false alarm was spread in the Czech language on Facebook this past Wednesday alleging that a terrorist attack with hundreds of victims had happened in Prague. Thousands of people shared the disinformation on social networks.  full story

USA: Controversy over conservative radio host's Nazi-like salute at the close of her RNC speech

28.7.2016 22:29 Jeremy Stahl, a senior editor at the website Slate.com, has re-posted photographs tweeted from last week's Republican National Convention in Ohio. In the photos, the talk radio host Laura Ingraham is shown raising and straightening her right arm in profile toward the very large screen from which candidate Donald Trump was remotely addressing the convention.  full story

Czech Republic to receive 10 refugees from camps in Greece and as many as 80 Syrians from camps in Turkey

28.7.2016 21:57 The Czech Republic will be receiving 10 refugees from camps in Greece on the basis of the redistribution quotas approved by the European Union last year. Three of the families from there have already undergone a security clearance.  full story

Romani people tell Czech Government their issues are all interrelated

28.7.2016 8:47 On 26 July a meeting was held at Hrzánský Palace in Prague between Radek Jiránek, the director of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion, the Minister for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation Jiří Dienstbier, members of the Czech Government Council on Roma Community Affairs and representatives of Romani civil society. The meeting opened with Jiránek declaring that the "Romani Integration Strategy adopted by the Government in February 2016 differs from previous strategies because it focuses on the emancipation of Roma and supports the development of their culture and language. Romani people have moved from a position of being clients into the role of empowered persons."  full story

Anti-immigrant Czech MP's opinions publicly criticized by his own brothers

27.7.2016 19:38 The opinions of Czech MP Tomio Okamura have been publicly rejected by members of his family in the media recently. First his brother Osama Okamura and now his brother Hayato, a theologian, have made public statements against Tomio's opinions through interviews with news server iDNES.cz.  full story

Catholics and Muslims condemn terrorists' murder of Catholic priest at a church in northern France

27.7.2016 18:29 The terrorist organization calling itself Islamic State (IS) has taken responsibility for yesterday's murder of a priest at a church in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, a town near Rouen in northern France. Through its Amaq press agency, IS announced that two of its "soldiers" committed the crime.  full story

Poland: Man who shouted "Kill him!" to attackers of Syrian immigrant sentenced to community service

27.7.2016 15:15 A court in Poznan, Poland has handed down a sentence of two years' community service to a 22-year-old Polish man who shouted "Kill him!" at two violent thugs who were beating up an immigrant from Syria in the center of that city. Newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza reported that Zygmunt W. was found co-responsible for the victim's injuries even though he did not physically attack him because he incited the assailants to do so.  full story

Czech Neo-Nazis say they want to "enforce the law" - even as they break it

27.7.2016 9:25 Street patrols by "national militias" have been taking place since the beginning of the summer in the Czech Republic. The groups are centered around the North Bohemian town of Most and model themselves after the "Soldiers of Odin" group in Finland.  full story

Czech NGO whose head spreads hatred against Muslims and refugees will continue to work with Govt Agency for Social Inclusion

27.7.2016 8:27 The "Romani" NGO called Lampa will remain a member of the Local Partnership in the town of Ralsko that has been established by the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion (ASZ). Members of that Local Partnership made that decision in response to reports by news server Romea.cz that the head of Lampa, Jiří Hanzl, supports the hate group Bloc against Islam and attacks the Government's Hate Free Culture initiative.  full story