World

UN: Slovakia must act to eliminate racism against Roma

19.3.2018 11:15 In response to a submission made by the European Roma Rights Centre late last year of their concerns about pervasive racism in Slovakia, the UN has endorsed such concerns and has made recommendations to Slovakia as to how the country should progress towards being more accepting of the Roma, as well as of individuals who are Muslim or of African descent.  full story

AMER: Human rights defenders in Turkey should be released immediately!

7.7.2017 15:19 The situation in Turkey is serious. Association for Monitoring Equal Rights/AMER published a statement calling for the release of human rights defenders. Our news server Romea.cz publishes it in its entirety. Human rights defenders in Turkey should be released immediately!  full story

Commentary: Romani people should not live in fear, but justice systems are not helping

9.4.2017 14:33 At the beginning of March 2012, after the arson attack was committed against a Romani-occupied residential hotel in Aš, I and other members of the Romea.cz editorial team set out to visit the crime scene. We were unable to find out anything more by being there in person.  full story

videoVIDEO: Discussion of International Romani Day at the European Parliament

8.4.2017 10:44 A discussion marking International Romani Day took place at the European Parliament yesterday. "This day is a particular opportunity to recall that we are a union of values in the European Union, and we need to look at events all around the world, it's important to us what happens with minorities around the world and others who may happen to think differently, and it's important to define those values clearly," the moderator began the session.
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American and Canadian embassies in Prague display Romani flag for International Romani Day

8.4.2017 8:02 The Ambassador of Canada to the Czech Republic, Barbara Richardson, put up the Romani flag yesterday afternoon at the embassy. "On April 8, International Romani Day is celebrated all around the world. Ambassador Richardson supports this international day and is happy to display the Romani flag here at the Embassy! International Romani Day celebrates Romani culture and raises awareness of the economic and social issues facing Romani people. There are approximately 250,000-300,000 Roma in the Czech Republic. Canada recognizes the importance of promoting understanding between Roma and non-Roma people and Roma integration in the Czech Republic. For Canada, inclusion and diversity are part of our fabric and a source of openness, acceptance, progress and prosperity," the embassy's Facebook profile reads.  full story

Slovakia: Sale of salon to hairdresser underway until landlord, neighbors see he is Romani

7.4.2017 8:38 Dalibor Ferenc, a 22-year-old hairdresser, was recently offered an opportunity to buy a hair salon business in a small town in the Žilina Region of Slovakia by the salon's current tenant, who has to retire because of ill health. All appeared to be hopeful - Mr Ferenc agreed with the current tenant of the salon that he would buy all the equipment from her, and according to the tenant, the building owner had nothing against the change.  full story

European organizations meet in Berlin to discuss combating hatred and teaching about the Holocaust, including Roma

6.4.2017 16:58 How can the subject of both the Jewish and the Romani victims of the Holocaust be brought into the schools of Europe? How can people respond to hate speech when they see it on social networking sites?  full story

Slovak court sentences neo-Nazi in case of assault at student bar to almost 7 years in prison, he appeals

30.3.2017 10:00 A District Court in Nitra, Slovakia has convicted one of the men who assaulted the owner of the Mariatchi bar there on 1 January 2014. The panel of judges handed down a verdict during its hearing on 20 March finding defendant Ján Ď. guilty of felony battery and complicity in the offense of rioting.  full story

Slovak Romani people travelling to visit relatives not allowed on planes in Warsaw, some have lost their life savings

30.3.2017 6:43

Several Romani women from the town of Levoča, Slovakia, who were attempting to visit relatives in Toronto, Canada were not allowed to board the planes for which they were ticketed at the airport in Warsaw for reasons that have yet to be ascertained and missed their flight. Canada had allegedly confirmed their eligbility to visit and given them all of the necessary documents for entry.

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DEADLINE TOMORROW: KHAMORO World Roma Festival to train Romani youth in festival production

29.3.2017 12:48 The organization Slovo 21 is seeking those interested in attending a week-long training called "KHAMORO SHARES ITS EXPERIENCE", which will take place as part of the 19th annual KHAMORO World Roma Festival. The training will be held from 28 May to 3 June 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic.
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Main hero in the next Batman film will be Romani - "Nightwing" to call attention to the rights of Romani people

28.3.2017 18:16 Warner Bros announced in February that they will be releasing "Nightwing", a film that not only tells the story of the most popular characters in the Batman family, but also sheds light on Romani human rights issues through its title character. "Nightwing" (the superhero formerly known as “Robin”) could serve as one of the first times the Romani identity will be shown to the mainstream in a positive light.  full story

Slovak party's donation to families in need reflects hidden Nazi symbolism in the amount - EUR 1488

28.3.2017 17:47 The neo-Nazi party in Slovakia chaired by Marián Kotleba, the "People's Party - Our Slovakia" (Ľudová strana Naše Slovensko - ĽSNS) has taken advantage of the 14 March anniversary of the rise of the Fascist Slovak State, which collaborated with Hitler's Germany, to donate money to three families, and the amount donated is reflective of Nazi symbolism. Slovak MP Milan Uhrík (ĽSNS) was asked by the Slovak news server TVnoviny.sk whether the amount of EUR 1488 was intentional or random.  full story

First Romani woman and second Romani person in history will be beatified this Saturday: Emilia Fernández Rodríguez

28.3.2017 17:06 News server Vatican Insider reports that Cardinal Angelo Amato from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will declare the Romani woman Emilia Fernández Rodríguez beatified during Saturday's religious service in the Spanish town of Aguadulce. She will be the first Romani woman ever to be given that designation.  full story

Online haters not ashamed to make manipulative allegations about photographs of London terrorist attack

26.3.2017 14:20 The terrorist attack in London last week has prompted a series of manipulations on Czech-language online social networks that have a single aim: Disseminating hatred against a particular group. Photographs are being shared through the Internet of a young Muslim woman wearing a brown headscarf, accompanied by allegations that the photo shows her walking past injured victims of the attack without taking any interest in them.  full story

Internet memes falsely allege celebration of terrorist attack in London

26.3.2017 13:38 A screenshot purported to be of a Facebook broadcast by the Arab television station Al-Jazeera is being shared through online social networks after Wednesday's terrorist attack in London, alleging that Muslim people have been celebrating it. "The Muslim world is laughing after the attack in London," several online social network users are sharing, alleging that the screenshot is proof that Al-Jazeera watchers are glad about the attack and posting "likes" and emoticons featuring hearts and laughter during the broadcast.  full story

Romani police officer Petr Torák on London terrorist attack: We must not show fear

25.3.2017 17:11 Speaking in an interview for Czech Radio, Romani police officer Petr Torák, who serves in Peterborough, England, said people must not show terrorists that they are afraid of them. A terrorist attack happened on Wednesday in London during which the assailant drove a car into a group of people on Westminster Bridge, then got out and stabbed several in front of Westminster Palace, including a police officer.  full story

Czech President alleges most immigrants are uneducated, but German statistics show otherwise

24.3.2017 6:45 According to Czech President Miloš Zeman, most of the two million immigrants who have arrived in the European Union recently have not even completed a basic education. He belives that will significantly complicate their inclusion into society.  full story

Czech Republic: Historian confims remarkable story of Romani war hero Imrich Horváth with military archival documents

22.3.2017 9:49 This article sheds light on the story of Romani war hero Imrich Horváth, about whom news server Romea.cz first reported in February, by discussing documents and records from military archives about him. We are publishing in full translation the transcript of a radio interview with historian Zdenko Maršálek from the Institute for Contemporary History of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.  full story

Slovak neo-Nazi and MP Milan Mazurek prosecuted for racist remarks about Roma

21.3.2017 7:10 Slovak media report that police officers from the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) in Slovakia have begun criminal proceedings against Slovak MP Milan Mazurek (Kotleba-ĽSNS) over his abusive remarks about Romani people made during an interview with the Frontinus radio station in Žilina. Mazurek is accused of making generalizing remarks about all Romani people which the moderator also did nothing to correct.  full story

Karin Marques: A visit to the Romani children in the Slovak schools

17.3.2017 7:14 Karin Marques, a specialist in inclusive education with the Open Society Fund Prague, has published on the website of the foundation her impressions from a study trip to Slovakia organized by the League of Community Schools (Liga komunitních škol), which is involved in community education and inclusive education. News server Romea.cz publishes it here in full translation:  full story