News

Czech PM Sobotka does not want more homelessness, demands law be changed

17.6.2015 0:03 "I am of the opinion that it is essential for the Labor Minister to respond by drafting another amendment to the law where we establish clear rules to prevent people from ending up on the street en masse who are not entitled to any state support," said Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka after yesterday's cabinet session. His remarks were made in response to the situation prompted by a recently-adopted amendment to the law on aid to those in material distress which means that as of May, applications for housing benefits filed by people living in residential hotels are approved by local authorities, not the state's Labor Offices.  full story

European Court for Human Rights says internet portal operators responsible for insulting online posts

16.6.2015 22:59 Today the European Court of Human Rights confirmed that the operators of internet portals are responsible for insulting commentaries posted online by their users. The judgment in the case of a large Estonian online news server could impact the operation of such portals in all the member states of the Council of Europe, which includes the Czech Republic.  full story

Human rights and hate violence seminar at Czech Parliament attended by only one MP

16.6.2015 21:24 Yesterday the Platform for Human Rights and ROMEA, o.p.s. convened a seminar on "Human Rights and Hate Violence in the Czech Republic - civil society and policy" in the Czech lower house under the auspices of Czech Human Rights Minister Jiří Dienstbier and Czech MP Markéta Adamová. The seminar was opened by the actress and politician Táňa Fischerová.  full story

Hungary faces harsh criticism for anti-democratic developments, including anti-Gypsyism and anti-Semitism

16.6.2015 0:09 On 9 June the Council of Europe’s expert group on racism and intolerance (ECRI) called for action to fight prejudice in Hungary as it released a report condemning the country. The report finds that “a radical right-wing populist party openly engages in anti-Roma, antisemitic, homophobic and xenophobic hate speech”.  full story

Human rights activist: The Czech state is holding impoverished people hostage, the ombud will do what she can

15.6.2015 23:13 Local councils across the Czech Republic have begun taking advantage of an amendment to the law on aid to those in material distress that has shifted the power to decide on the awarding of housing benefits from local branches of the state's Labor Offices to municipalities. This is the result of declared efforts to combat residential hotels that are not up to code and the "traffickers in poverty" who run them, but in many towns this has instead become a fight against the impoverished people who are living in these facilities  full story

UN side event on discrimination as a root cause of Romani marginalization

15.6.2015 20:03 Tomorrow, 16 June, a side event to the UN Human Rights Council session will further discuss the findings and recommendations of the recent study released by the Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues on the human rights situation of Roma. The report was officially presented on 15 June.  full story

VIDEO: UN Human Rights Council review of anti-Gypsyism

15.6.2015 9:00 Rita Izsák, the UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues, will present her study of the human rights situation for Romani people worldwide before the United Nations Human Rights Council at 18:00 today, Monday, 15 June 2015. The entire session of the HRC begins at 09:00 and can be followed live at the link below.  full story

Commentary: Czech MP uses Nazi term to discuss the impoverished

15.6.2015 17:17 At the end of May, an essential piece of news was reported about the so far unsuccessful attempts by more than one administration in the Czech Republic to halt the unfavorable trend of the creation of socially excluded localities. During the past nine years, the number of these places has doubled and the number of people who are being displaced into the "ghettos" has also risen.  full story

France: Legislation will end permits for travelling people

15.6.2015 15:36 The English-language edition of Radio France International reported on 10 June that the French lower house has voted to end the travel permits for those known as gens de voyage (travellers). Human rights groups and those representing the minority are welcoming the move.  full story

Czech Republic: Unique exhibition reviews postwar memories of migrant Romani workers

12.6.2015 23:59 On Monday, 1 June an unusual exhibition called "Khatar san?" opened at the Hraničář Cinema and Gallery in the Czech town of Ústí nad Labem. The exhibition is the result of an applied social research project, "Romani Workers' Memories", and is being exhibited in the Czech Republic for the fifth time.  full story

Finland: Helsinki Police say they are dismantling Romani encampments almost daily

12.6.2015 23:14 On 11 June, news server yle.fi reported that police in Helsinki say they have been dismantling illegal camps occupied by Romani people almost every day. Yesterday police dispersed Romani people camping under a bridge near Linnunlaulu Park.  full story

Czech Supreme Court president fires spokesperson for anti-Romani remarks

12.6.2015 21:44 Pavel Šámal, president of the Czech Supreme Court, is dismissing Petr Knötig, the head of the public relations department and the court's spokesperson, as of today. Šámal informed the Czech News Agency of his decision in a telephone interview.  full story

Bulgaria: Mayor plans referendum in which Roma cannot vote

12.6.2015 20:45 News server focus-fen.net reported on 9 June that Petar Paunov, Mayor of Kyustendil, told a Bulgarian television station that he plans to call a local referendum to ask whether he should run for a third term this fall - one that would exclude Romani voters. The mayor said that vote-buying in the Roma community is always widely-covered by the media and that he did "not want to discredit the poll”.  full story

Czech amendment would make it easier for minorities to ask for bilingual street signs

12.6.2015 19:16 If a proposed amendment passes, groups representing the interests of national minorities that have been active on the territory of a particular municipality for at least five years will be able to request bilingual street signs. Passage would also mean the Czech Interior Ministry would be able to intervene in territorial disputes between municipalities.  full story

EU Fundamental Rights Agency holds workshop on indicators of Romani integration

12.6.2015 2:11 From 10-11 June the EU Fundamental Rights Agency convened a workshop in Vienna for its National Roma Contact Points on the Roma Integration Indicator and a template for reporting on such indicators. The workshop was to bring together 22 Member States' National Roma Contact Points, the European Commission, and representatives from national statistical offices.  full story

Czech Gov't Agency for Social Inclusion's new director trying to keep staff on board

12.6.2015 1:05 On 5 June, Radek Jiránek began working as the director of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion. He is taking the Agency over at a time when 24 of its 70 employees have given notice and others are considering leaving as well.  full story

European Roma Institute proponents respond to analysis by the European Roma and Travellers Forum

12.6.2015 0:30 On 21 May, in advance of a Council of Europe meeting to discuss the possible founding of a European Roma Institute, the European Roma and Travellers Forum published its analysis of the “revised concept paper on the creation of a European Roma Institute”. The full document of the ERTF assessment can be found here.  full story

Drahomír R. Horváth: Roma in the Czech Republic are a gold mine

11.6.2015 22:47 First of all, I would not be glad if the impression were to be given that in the Czech Republic, Romani people are socially excluded in general, or that our/their integration into society concerns the entire national minority who are citizens here. Many of us Roma are integrated into society, many of us Roma do not feel that society does not include us.  full story

Czech experts warn rising homelessness is underway

11.6.2015 20:01 It was supposed to be an important measure against "trafficking in poverty". Now it could lead to hundreds becoming homeless.  full story

Czech Platform for Human Rights holds seminar on hate violence

10.6.2015 22:43 The Platform for Human Rights, represented by spokespersons František Kostlán (ROMEA), Jana Smiggels Kavková (Czech Women's Lobby), Lucie Otáhalová (La Strada), and ROMEA, o. p. s. invite you intend a seminar on "Human Rights and Hate Violence in the Czech Republic - civil society and policy" on Monday, 15 June from 9:00 to 13:00 at the Chamber of Deputies in Prague (Sněmovní 4, Praha 1, Room No. 108A). The aim of the event is to bring politicians and other attendees a new perspective on the issue of human rights, focusing on the specific areas of discrimination and hate violence, through presentations by experienced people from various nonprofit organizations involved in human rights.  full story