Czech Republic

Czech Govt adopts seven measures to curtail social unrest

Prague, 18.12.2013 2:21, (ROMEA) On 11 December the Czech Government approved seven measures intended to help address the reasons behind a series of anti-Romani incidents that led to unrest this year in the towns of České Budějovice, Duchcov and Ostrava. The resolution tasks the ministries with undertaking specific legislative tasks.  full story

Czech Senator Jiří Dienstbier might become Human Rights Minister

Prague, 17.12.2013 23:49, (ROMEA) Today the chair of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), Bohuslav Sobotka, once again reiterated that a Human Rights Ministry might well be part of his new government. Sobotka first mentioned the possibility over the weekend.  full story

Czech Amnesty International holding seminar on human rights for educators

Prague, 17.12.2013 17:11, (ROMEA) Amnesty International Czech Republic will be holding a seminar for educators focused on the issues of discrimination, human rights and racism. The first part of the seminar will cover general human rights themes and provide in-depth information about the concept of human rights as well as materials and methodologies for easily including that concept as part of instruction; the second part will respond to educators' demands for a seminar to equip them with arguments, information, and methodologies to effectively respond to discrimination, displays of racism and xenophobia from their students and provide them with inspiration and materials for working with these themes during instruction.  full story

Czech Gov't Agency for Social Inclusion holds national Romani meeting

Prague, 17.12.2013 0:56, (ROMEA) On Thursday, 12 December, Romani representatives met with staff of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion and the Office of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs at Lichtenstein Palace in Prague. The meeting was attended by 80 members of the Romani community from all over the country.  full story

Czech Social Democratic chair considering Human Rights Minister in new cabinet

Prague, 16.12.2013 17:38, (ROMEA) On Saturday, 14 December at a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) in Prague's Congress Center, the party as expected approved a coalition agreement with the ANO movement and the Christian Democrats. Party chair Bohuslav Sobotka told journalists there will be no further referendum inside the party.  full story

Czech experts believe centrally-located schools lead out of the ghetto

Brno, 16.12.2013 6:49, (ROMEA) The primary schools in the neighborhood of the Czech city of Brno referred to locally as the "Bronx" are almost exclusively attended by Romani children, and you won't normally find other kinds of children enrolled there. Activists want to integrate these Romani children more into the rest of society.  full story

Czech PM meets with Platform for Social Housing

Prague, 16.12.2013 3:43, (ROMEA) Czech Prime Minister Rusnok has met with representatives of the Platform for Social Housing, which published an open letter in which it took a stand against the Social Housing Concept drafted by the Czech Regional Development Ministry, as well as against the early adoption of an amendment to the Law on Aid to Those in Material Distress. The PM expressed appreciation for the Platform's activity and promised its representatives that he would review the materials.  full story

videoCzech rapper Bonus: Alone in the dead of night, heading upstream

Prague, 15.12.2013 22:07, (ROMEA) Bonus, aka Bourek, aka Martin Tvrdý - real name Martin Hůla - is a DJ, musician, rapper and songwriter. He was behind the creation of the band Sporto and has recently been performing with the Martin Tvrdý Trio project.  full story

Czech court reviews case of assault based on mistaken identity

Teplice, 15.12.2013 4:06, (ROMEA) A court in the Czech town of Teplice has begin reviewing the case of four Romani perpetrators who assaulted two ethnic Czechs in front of a local restaurant in the town of Duchcov after an anti-Romani demonstration there. The attackers wanted to settle scores with a local racist and a member of the DSSS party, Jindřich Svoboda, who had organized the protest.  full story

Senator Okamura: "The Czech Republic cannot afford social immigrants"

Prague, 15.12.2013 2:14, (ROMEA) On Tuesday, 10 December 2013, the Czech lower house discussed the first draft of a bill on the position of labor immigrants from countries outside the EU. The amendment was not approved upon a first reading as the Government urged and discussion of it will continue.  full story

Czech NGO: Case conferences can address pupils' school difficulties

Prague, 11.12.2013 19:39, (ROMEA) Support for the academic and career success of young Roma and for quality inclusive education is one of the main priorities of the IQ Roma servis organization's Youth Program. The program seeks ways to resolve children's scholastic difficulties by working with them on an individual basis.  full story

Czech Green Party demonstrates for Human Rights Minister

Prague, 11.12.2013 18:19, (ROMEA) On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, the Green Party (Strana zelených - SZ) held a demonstration calling for the creation of the post of Minister of Human Rights, Minorities and Equal Opportunities. During the "happening", which took place directly in front of the Lidový dům ("People's House"), the headquarters of the Czech Social Democratic Party on Hybernská Street, sidewalk was symbolically blocked and access was only granted to "adaptable citizens" while "inadaptables" had to take another route.  full story

Czech Gypsy Spirit awards 2013 go to Emil Cina, František Kostlán and Romodrom

Prague, 11.12.2013 4:25, (ROMEA) On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, after a three-year hiatus, the Gypsy Spirit awards were once again given out at the Prague Crossroads (Pražská křižovatka) cultural center. The prize for NGOs was won by the Romodrom civic association and the individual prize was awarded the late Emil Cina, who passed away in October.  full story

Czech Human Rights Platform to demonstrate for Human Rights Ministry

Prague, 10.12.2013 21:24, (ROMEA) The recently-created Human Rights Platform is calling for the incoming government of the Czech Republic to establish a Ministry of Human Rights, Minorities and Equal Opportunities. Its minister would fulfill the function of a liaison between the Government and human rights organizations.  full story

Czech Platform for Social Housing says Gov't social housing concept entrenches trafficking in poverty

Brno/Ostrava/Prague, 10.12.2013 20:32, (ROMEA) The Platform for Social Housing is not satisfied with the new social housing concept drafted by the Czech Regional Development Ministry. News server Romea.cz presents the platform's press release in full translation here:  full story

Czech Police arrest hooligan for assaulting two Romani bus passengers

Prague, 10.12.2013 18:24, (ROMEA) The Czech Television program "Na stopě" ("On the Trail") has reported on a classic case of hate violence that took place just before 3 AM on 2 November on night bus number 511 in Prague. Two aggressive assailants attacked two Romani passengers whom eyewitnesses said were obviously physically weaker than them.  full story

Czech Helsinki Committee and ROMEA send open letter to political parties on Human Rights Day

Prague, 10.12.2013 16:20, (ROMEA) The Czech Helsinki Committee (Český helsinský výbor - ČHV) and the ROMEA civic association have sent Czech political parties an open letter on the occasion of Human Rights Day detailing current deficiencies in the human rights area at the level of the Government and Parliament. Below is a translation of the letter and responses from the three political parties that have responded to it.  full story

Czech Republic: Rioters assault Romani children's choir in Hodonín

Hodonín, 10.12.2013 3:36, (ROMEA) Several youths assaulted the members of the children's choir Čhavorenge last Friday night in the Czech town of Hodonín. The injuries suffered were abrasions; none of the 19 young singers needed medical treatment.  full story

Czech Police need help identifying Romani assault victim

České Budějovice, 10.12.2013 3:15, (ROMEA) Police in České Budějovice are requesting assistance with an unusual search - they need to identify not a perpetrator, but a victim who was brutally assaulted by a violent youth this past summer on Piaristické Square. Detectives have already apprehended the perpetrator of the attack after video footage of it was posted online (available at http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/domaci/mladik-brutalne-zautocil-na-chodce-v-ceskych-budejovicich-napadeny-byl-zrejme-rom).  full story

Dreaming of Europe: What to do with rising ultra-right party influence in the EU?

Prague, 10.12.2013 2:29, (ROMEA) It seems that some politicians in the European mainstream are slowly beginning to wake up from their democratic dream. For the time being it's just a few individuals, but at least some are starting to realize that the growth in voter preference for extremist political parties in Europe is a real danger.  full story