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Museum of Roma Culture director: Today's anti-Roma sentiment recalls interwar society

Brno/Prague, 6.2.2014 0:25, (ROMEA) In the Czech Senate on 27 January, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, speeches were made by Senate chair Milan Štěch, the vice-chair of the Chamber of Deputies MP Jaroslava Jermanová (ANO movement), Auschwitz survivor Luděk Eliáš, and the director of the Museum of Roma Culture, Jana Horváthová. News server Romea.cz brings you Ms Horváthová's speech in full translation below.  full story

Greek neo-Nazi party to run even if banned

Athens, Greece, 5.2.2014 20:56, (ROMEA) The Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn will find a way to participate in local elections and elections to the European Parliament even if harsh measures are adopted against it. Party spokesperson Ilias Kasidiaris issued the party's official statement on the issue this past Saturday.  full story

MEPs agree greater protections for LGBTI rights

Strasbourg, France, 5.2.2014 17:37, (ROMEA) The rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and intersex persons in the European Union should be better protected from now on. MEPs have agreed today to approve a plan to combat homophobia and discrimination in the EU on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.  full story

FXB Center, Harvard University: Violence and Attacks Against Roma Should Sound Alarms in the International Community

Boston/Cambridge, 5.2.2014 12:06, (ROMEA) Harvard University’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights released a report documenting “Accelerating Patterns of Anti-Roma Violence in Hungary”. The report is intended to alert the United Nations and the international community to the persistent patterns of violent attacks and actions against the Roma (pejoratively called Gypsies).  full story

Czech Constitutional Court rejects complaint by convicted Holocaust denier

Brno, 5.2.2014 2:09, (ROMEA) The Czech Constitutional Court has rejected a complaint filed with it by the Czech-Canadian author Vladimír Stwora, who has been convicted in the Czech Republic of using the internet to doubt the extent of the Holocaust. While the prisoner amnesty announced by former Czech President Václav Klaus had already cancelled the suspended sentence handed down against Stwora, he insisted on having his complaint against it heard by the court.  full story

Fedor Gál: Politicians like Okamura make me anxious

Prague, 4.2.2014 16:27, (ROMEA) News server Aktuálně.cz reports that a group called the Platform for European Memory and Conscience (Platforma evropské paměti a svědomí) has published a unique collection of 30 stories introducing heroes who have resisted terror and violence. The collection, entitled So We Will Not Forget (Abychom nezapomněli) will be officially launched tomorrow and includes heroes from 16 European countries, including two Czechs - Josef Bryks, a Royal Air Force fighter who was tortured to death by the communists, and the executed politician Milada Horáková.  full story

Czech Republic: New law would mean thousands at risk of homelessness

Brno, 3.2.2014 17:31, (ROMEA) News server iDNES.cz reports that more than 3 000 socially excluded people live in residential hotels throughout the Czech city of Brno. A forthcoming amendment would restrict residency in such facilities to the length of one year but does not address what would happen to those who have to move away after a year's time.  full story

Czech town refutes rumor it is privileging Romani residents

Most, 2.2.2014 21:44, (ROMEA) The town of Most has recently responded to a letter it received from someone identifying themselves as a pensioner claiming that young Romani passengers ride public transportation for free there and that the town also pays Romani people's taxi fares once a month. The town has refuted these rumors; please see the letter and the town's response below  full story

Czech court sentences two of the four brawlers in Duchcov incident

Duchcov/Teplice, 1.2.2014 22:59, (ROMEA) A court in Teplice issued its ruling on 28 January in the case of those involved in an illegal manhunt for the organizer of anti-Romani demonstrations in the town of Duchcov, a group of four who ended up assaulting two mistakenly identified men. The judge has sentenced two of the defendants to prison, put one on probation, and acquitted the fourth.  full story

Slovakia: Brutal neo-Nazis who terrorized Nitra are back on the street

Nitra, Slovakia, 1.2.2014 21:25, (ROMEA) Five brutal neo-Nazis suspected of attacking customers at the Mariatchi Bar in Nitra, Slovakia are back on the streets. They were in police custody from last Tuesday evening until Thursday morning.  full story

Roma are EU citizens too, Romanian President says

Bucharest, 1.2.2014 13:49, (ROMEA) Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday (31 January) strongly defended freedom of movement within the EU, saying Roma have the same rights as other EU citizens and should not be misused for populist campaigns.  full story

Mudslide engulfs houses in suburb not far from Vatican City

Rome, 1.2.2014 13:22, (ROMEA) A landslide Friday sent mud into the streets of a Rome suburb, engulfing houses inhabited by poor people and immigrants not far from the Vatican, police said.  full story

Slovakia: Romani victims of police harassment testify

Košice, Slovakia, 1.2.2014 4:51, (ROMEA) A Slovak court has just completed a two-day hearing into the case of police officers who harassed Romani boys in 2009. Four of the children and several of their parents have testified to date.  full story

Czech MEP candidate wants to ban immigration into the EU

Prague, 1.2.2014 4:08, (ROMEA) Klára Samková, a candidate for the European Parliament on the ticket of the Dawn of Direct Democracy (Úsvit přímé demokracie) party, is continuing the harsh rhetoric of party chair Tomio Okamura. Samková has released a statement in favor of a total ban on immigration into EU countries.  full story

Slovakia: New extremism-related misdemeanors a challenge for police

Bratislava, Slovakia, 1.2.2014 3:05, (ROMEA) Starting in February, perpetrators who engage in the promotion of extremist opinions in Slovakia will be at risk of fines, not imprisonment. The Slovak daily SME reports that a legislative amendment now defines certain displays of extremism as misdemeanors.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani enrolments into first grade exceeding capacity of school in Předlice

Ústí nad Labem, 30.1.2014 7:01, (ROMEA) Martin Košnar, director of the primary school in the Předlice quarter of Ústí nad Labem, says that exponentially more children than usual are enrolling into the first grade there. All of the children enrolled there are of Romani nationality.  full story

Slovakia: Police arrest neo-Nazis in Nitra, investigative delays to be reviewed

Nitra, Slovakia, 29.1.2014 17:52, (ROMEA) News server SME.sk reports that yesterday evening, police in Nitra finally arrested five neo-Nazis whose brutal assault on the defenseless customers of the Mariatchi student bar was captured by municipal police cameras last year. The video footage of the brutal assault was made public and media began to report on the case, apparently speeding up the police investigation.  full story

Slovakia: Neo-Nazis terrorizing bar owned by anti-racist activist with impunity

Nitra, Slovakia, 29.1.2014 7:21, (ROMEA) News server Sme.sk reports that right-wing extremists have been terrorizing a bar frequented by students in the town of Nitra, breaking the owner's leg and kicking two other people there into unconsciousness during one incident. One of the attacks was captured on video by a municipal security camera three months ago, but it is only now that an indictment is on the horizon.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani candidate proposed for Deputy Human Rights Minister

Prague, 28.1.2014 7:54, (ROMEA) Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, the chair of the Czech Social Democrats, and Andrej Babiš, chair of the ANO movement, have not yet reached agreement on deputy ministerial appointments for the incoming cabinet. The names of some of the deputy ministers that ANO intends to send to the ministries have now been revealed.  full story

Commentary: The lessons of Ukraine, or, how to avoid fascism and violence

Kiev/Prague, 27.1.2014 19:55, (ROMEA) Reflections on the recent developments in Ukraine and their connection to current affairs in the Czech Republic.  full story