Czech Republic

Čeněk Růžička: We demand review of the police procedure over Okamura's defamation of Romani Holocaust victims

Prague, 12.12.2014 23:11, (ROMEA) The chair of the Committee for the Redress of the Romani Holocaust (Výbor pro odškodnění romského holocaustu - VPORH) Čeněk Růžička,, the ROMEA organization, Michal Miko of the Slovo 21 association and Miroslav Kováč of the Equal Opportunities Party (Strana rovných příležitostí - SRP) have sent the District State Prosecutor for Prague 5 a motion to review the police procedure in the investigation of a report that Tomio Okamura, chair of the "Dawn of Direct Democracy" movement (Úsvit), committed the felony of denying, questioning, approving and justifying genocide. "In this matter we must take advantage of all the options afforded us by law. We cannot close our eyes to the kind of defamation of the memory of the Romani victims of the Holocaust that Tomio Okamura has perpetrated," Růžička previously told news server Romea.cz.  full story

Czech Republic: ROMEA meets with Romani job-seekers, debt collection and discrimination main concerns

Prague, 12.12.2014 22:06, (ROMEA) Almost 30 people gathered last week in the House of National Minorities in Prague to get more information about the processes of debt collection, job seeking and the welfare system as well as how to address discrimination in education and employment. Almost all of them had been involved during the past year with the ROMEA organization's "Support for Romani Employment in Prague (2013-2014)" project and have been doing their best to find work.  full story

Czech SocDems to revisit coalition with ultra-right in Duchcov

Duchcov/Prague, 12.12.2014 20:04, (ROMEA) The governing body of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) is scheduled to return to the situation in Duchov today, where local party members have created a
coalition government with right-wing extremists from the Workers' Social Justice Party (DSSS). Party leadership disagrees with the decision and wants to close the
local cell.  full story

Czech trial reveals how years of prejudice can explode in violence

Prague, 12.12.2014 19:07, (ROMEA) At the start of December, the trial began of a man charged with committing racially motivated grievous bodily harm, violence against an ethnic group and individuals, illegal drug production, trespassing, property damage and making threats under the influence of addictive substances. The start of the trial at the Regional Court was marked by the recent ice storm; while an associate justice, the Regional State Prosecutor, all five witnesses and the attorney for the victims waited in vain for two hours in the corridor of the courthouse, the presiding justice was unable to make it there because of the ice.  full story

Czech Government should have forced sterilization compensation plan outlined in six months

Prague, 11.12.2014 23:47, (ROMEA) The Czech Government should receive a proposal for the outlines of a law to compensate the victims of illegal sterilizations by mid-2015. Money from the state would then be paid to the victims during the current administration, which is slated to leave office in 2017.  full story

Will the Czech catalog of support measures eliminate injustice in education?

Czech Republic, 11.12.2014 20:52, (ROMEA) Writing in the fourth issue of Škola all inclusive magazine, Petra Klimková reports that the catalog of support measures announced by the Czech Education Ministry is a breakthrough in many respects. Not only will teachers be able to have, for the first time, a clear, single list of all of the professional experience accumulated to date regarding the education of disadvantaged pupils, but the document will also aid in eliminating the many injustices to which some children are exposed in the schools.  full story

Czech Republic: Roma Spirit award given to the Slovo 21 NGO, the town of Žlutice, and journalist Iveta Demeterová

Prague, 11.12.2014 0:50, (ROMEA) In Prague today the Roma Spirit prize was awarded in five categories for improving the situation of Romani people in the Czech Republic. Romani Studies scholar Eva Davidová won the award for lifetime achievement, while the municipality of Žlutice won in its category and the Slovo 21 association won in the NGO category.
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Czech Republic: Roma afraid in town where ultra-right is in government

Duchcov, 10.12.2014 19:57, (ROMEA) Duchcov is one of the towns in the Czech Republic where today there are usually problems with interethnic coexistence. However, over the long run the situation there has been better than the larger cities of Ostrava or Ústí nad Labem.  full story

Czech Human Rights Council member says segregation of Romani children in the schools is a disgrace to the politicians involved

Prague, 10.12.2014 18:20, (ROMEA) On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, which has been celebrated worldwide on 10 December since 1950 to honor the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Czech Minister for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation Jiří Dienstbier met with representatives of the Government advisory bodies on human rights issues, most of which he chairs as minister. The central theme of the informal meeting was legislative measures that are forthcoming.  full story

Czech Republic: Get involved in international survey about street harassment!

Prague, 9.12.2014 19:40, (ROMEA) The website www.ihollaback.com, in collaboration with Cornell University, is currently undertaking a comprehensive international survey on street harassment. You, too, can contribute to it.  full story

Czech Human Rights Minister to thank Govt advisory bodies on Int'l Human Rights Day

Prague, 9.12.2014 18:35, (ROMEA) On the occasion of International Human Rights Day tomorrow, 10 December, Czech Minister for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation Jiří Dienstbier, who is also a serving Senator, will meet in the Czech Senate with representatives of the Government's advisory bodies on human rights topics, most of which he chairs in his role as minister. He wants to thank the civil society members of these bodies for their work to date and discuss what they have achieved, what remains to be done, what the prospects are for the future, etc.  full story

Czech Republic: March against racism cancelled in Prague

Prague, 9.12.2014 18:00, (ROMEA) Andrej Lučka, a well-known Romani activist from Rokycany, called for a demonstration against racism in Prague today in response to the assault on a Romani youth in Ostrava. The event was scheduled for 11 AM on Wenceslas Square and was originally supposed to march through the center of Prague to the Office of the Government.  full story

Amnesty International Czech Republic launches online manual for teachers about handling intolerance

Prague, 9.12.2014 17:11, (ROMEA) Amnesty International Czech Republic has launched an online manual for teachers that provides instruction on how to handle displays of intolerance in the schools from their colleagues, their pupils, and their superiors. The manual is divided into five areas: Intolerance of non-Romani students for Romani people, intolerance of Czech students for foreigners living in the Czech Republic, the "caste systems" developed by students according to economic or other differences, bullying, and displays of xenophobia from other educators or school directors.  full story

Czech Gov't decides to give ombud more powers

Prague, 8.12.2014 23:08, (ROMEA) The Czech Government decided today to expand the powers of the Public Defender of Rights (the ombud). That office will now be able to ask that the Constitutional Court abolish controversial laws or parts thereof.  full story

videoCzech Republic: Roma in Ostrava demonstrate against racism, neo-Nazis try to provoke them

Ostrava, 8.12.2014 1:47, (ROMEA) At 14:00 on 6 December a demonstration against racism took plcea in Ostrava which was convened by several Romani residents with the assistance of the Konexe organization. Participants gathered on Svatopluk Čech Square in the Přívoz quarter and then followed their announced march route to Prokešovo Square and back.  full story

Czech ombud could get more powers, Government to review proposal

Prague, 5.12.2014 23:54, (ROMEA) The Czech ombud will evidently be granted new powers to approach the Constitutional Court with motions to rescind controversial laws or parts thereof. The ombud will also get new powers to file public lawsuits over discrimination.  full story

Czech Republic: Roma to demonstrate against racism in Ostrava tomorrow, neo-Nazis to counter-demonstrate

Ostrava, 5.12.2014 22:18, (ROMEA) On Saturday 6 December at 14:00 a demonstration against racism will take place in Ostrava on Svatopluk Čech Square in the Přívoz quarter, followed by a march to Prokešovo Square. At 13:30 neo-Nazis have announced they will be gathering on Prokešovo Square and are convening a counter-protest through neo-Nazi websites and social networks.

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Czech MP will not be prosecuted for controversial remarks about communist history

Brno, 5.12.2014 19:54, (ROMEA) Czech Television reports that police have shelved the case of Czech MP Marta Semelová (Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia - KSČM), who will not be prosecuted for her controversial remarks about events such as the murder of Milada Horáková or the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. Pavel Šváb, spokesperson for the South Moravian Regional Police, confirmed the information to the Czech News Agency.  full story

Czech court sentences brawlers who sparked anti-Romani demos to probation

České Budějovice, 4.12.2014 23:42, (ROMEA) Yesterday a District Court handed down its verdict in the case of a brawl that launched unrest at the Máj housing estate in the town of České Budějovice in the summer of 2013. A group of six defendants was given suspended sentences ranging from one to two and a half years for bodily harm and rioting.  full story

Analysis: Czech SocDems also responsible for oppression of Romani children

Prague, 3.12.2014 23:48, (ROMEA) The Czech Government's response to the European Commission's opinion that the country is oppressing Romani children in the schools is a surprisingly harsh one. Not only does the Government object to the opinion that something of the sort has been going on, it all but openly reproaches Brussels for getting involved in such matters at all.  full story