Czech Republic

Incoming Czech Human Rights Minister meets with Czech President, says human rights belong to everybody

23.11.2016 19:25 Incoming Czech Minister for Human Rights and Legislation Jan Chvojka (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) met with Czech President Miloš Zeman at Prague Castle yesterday. The two officials debated human rights and an amendment to the law on conflict of interest that includes sections being referred to as the "Lex Babiš" after the current Czech Finance Minister.  full story

Czech Republic: Museum of Romani Culture to commemorate ROMFEST 1990 and award its own 2016 prize

23.11.2016 7:00 The Museum of Romani Culture in Brno, Czech Republic invites the public to its commemorative evening dedicated to a key event in Romani culture, the ROMFEST 1990 festival, which was held 26 years ago. "We want to remind people of this event through an evening of musical witness for the public at large, an event that will take place on 24 November at 18:00 at the KS Omega - Musilka cultural center in Brno-Husovice," Sabina Coufalová of the Museum of Romani Culture told news server Romea.cz.  full story

Czech celebration of Veterans' Day featured honor guard in SS uniform and speech calling for opponents of President to hang themselves

22.11.2016 18:08 News server Lidovky.cz reports that a commemorative event on Veterans' Day, 11 November, was held by the Club of Military History in the Czech town of Rakovník and was marked by two controversial incidents. Those who attended the reverent gathering were outraged by the presence of a man wearing a Nazi uniform of the SS and serving as an honor guard next to the memorial to the Czechoslovak pilots from Rakovník who served in the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom during the Second World War.  full story

Responding to refusals from nominees, Czech foundation says Roma Spirit prize is from the public, not the state

22.11.2016 7:26 The Michael Kocáb Foundation has issued a statement reminding the community and the country that the Roma Spirit Award is a public prize expressing respect for the work of specific individuals that contributes to good coexistence between Romani people and other inhabitants of the Czech Republic. "The rejection of such public acknowledgment is problematic for many reasons. If the reason nominees do not want to participate and receive the award is their dissatisfaction with the political situation in the Czech Republic, we would like to point out that the Roma Spirit prize does not bear responsibility for the situation and that such a gesture will most probably be welcomed only by those who speak out against minorities," reads a statement issued yesterday by the foundation.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani entrepreneur employs almost all Romani workers in cafeteria

21.11.2016 7:22 A cafeteria that is staffed almost exclusively by Romani workers opened two weeks ago in the Czech town of Trmice (Ústecký Region). Romani entrepreneur Martin Bajger is running it and plans to expand its services.  full story

videoRomea.cz recovers mobile phone video of Czech Police procedure against Romani driver, case being reviewed by oversight board

20.11.2016 10:24 News server Romea.cz published the mobile phone video yesterday of an incident between a police officer and a Romani driver during a traffic stop at the beginning of November on the Máj housing estate in the town of České Budějovice after which the driver had to seek medical attention and was hospitalized with a bruised neck and suspected concussion. The driver had been attempting to film one of the officers involved in the traffic stop using his mobile phone, but the officer physically prevented him from doing so, took the phone away, erased the recording and smashed the phone itself.  full story

Right-wing extremists supporting Czech President blocked from marching through Prague's Jewish Town on 17 November

18.11.2016 21:14 On Thursday, 17 November 2016 a demonstration in support of Czech President Miloš Zeman was attended by roughly 400 people. Shortly after a musical performance by Tomáš Hnídek Ortel, a former member of the neo-Nazi group Conflict 88, the demonstration was officially ended.  full story

video30 000 assemble on Prague's Wenceslas Square to celebrate 17 November - VIDEO

18.11.2016 19:58 As many as 30 000 people set off alarm clocks yesterday on Prague's Wenceslas Square during the celebrations of the anniversary of the beginning of the fall of state socialism in the former Czechoslovakia. The alarm clocks were supposed to symbolically wake civil society from its sleep, according to organizers of the "happening".  full story

Supporters of Czech President march through Prague chanting slogans against Islam, their opponents force them to re-route

18.11.2016 18:56 Yesterday roughly 300 people assembled in Prague to support Czech President Miloš Zeman and express their disagreement with Czech migration policy, which they view as endangering the country. They also criticized Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) and other members of Government, the late President Havel, intellectuals and students.  full story

Thousands commemorate 17 November anniversary on significant street in the Czech capital

18.11.2016 15:38 Thousands of people commemorated the anniversary of 17 November on Národní třída (National Avenue) in Prague yesterday. University students organized an event called the "National Parade" (Korzo Národní) where people could amuse themselves and also learn about the events of November 1989.  full story

Albertov university area of the Czech capital is packed as members of academia indirectly criticize politicians on 17 November

18.11.2016 14:24 Yesterday numerous speakers at an event in the Albertov university area of Prague thanked students for their involvement in the political events of 17 November 1989 and criticized today's politicians, with Czech President Miloš Zeman and Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) reaping a great deal of indirect criticism. Petr Pithart, a former educator and former Prime Minister, said people must not allow themselves to be divided by categorizations or alleged affiliations with artificially-created groups, and that they should not vote for corporations instead of political parties during the elections.  full story

Czech Republic: Hundreds march against nationalism in Prague on 17 November

18.11.2016 12:17 Approximately 500 people attended yesterday's demonstration in Prague called "Nationalism Is No Alternative", which drew attention to growing authoritarianism in politics and growing racism and xenophobia in society. The march began in front of the main train station and ended at Jungmannovo náměstí and was organized by the "No to Racism" Initiative.  full story

Czech PM on 17 November: A democratic state must have a strong social welfare dimension

18.11.2016 10:55 Yesterday morning people began bringing candles and flowers to the memorial to 17 November 1989 on Národní třída in Prague. Some of the first to arrive were Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, the chair of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babiš, head of the ANO movement, and the chair of the Senate, Milan Štěch (ČSSD).  full story

Czech Republic: Hundreds protest the President's politics

18.11.2016 10:06 Hundreds of people assembled yesterday afternoon on Hradčanské náměstí in Prague, where organizers convened a gathering against populism and the politics of Czech President Miloš Zeman. After listening to speeches, the participants marched to Wenceslas Square, where a concert to celebrate the state holiday of the Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy took place.  full story

Czech Republic: Dozens of events on 17 November in Prague - including ultra-right ones

18.11.2016 9:38 Yesterday, people in the Czech Republic commemorated the historical events connected with 17 November, when German Nazis murdered students in 1939 and 50 years later the communists in power used police brutality against students. In Prague there were dozens of events underway - assemblies, carnival marches, cultural "happenings", demonstrations and marches.  full story

Demonstration TODAY in Prague: "Nationalism is No Alternative", organized by the "No to Racism!" Initiative

17.11.2016 7:10 The "No to Racism!" Initiative (Ne rasismu!), which describes itself as an anti-fascist student organization, is holding a demonstration in Prague today to draw attention to the fact that mainstream politics is constantly shifting rightward toward authoritarianism and populism and that racism is becoming the norm of Czech society. The demonstration begins at 10 AM in front of the main train station in the capital.  full story

In echo of totalitarian past, 60 Czech MPs want anybody "defaming" the President to serve a year in prison

16.11.2016 20:21 A group of 60 Czech MPs wants to make it a crime once more to publicly defame the President, punishable by up to a year in prison, a proposal that has drawn a reaction of rejection from other politicians, including Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD). Representatives of the right-wing opposition called the bill reminiscent of the normalization era of the 1970s and a "return to the Communist protection of whoever happens to be a big cheese".  full story

Karel Holomek: Czech Gov't Roma Council has a new chair after cabinet reshuffle

16.11.2016 17:31 Czech Prime Minister Sobotka has replaced two of his ministers, Health Minister Svatopluk Němeček and Human Rights and Legislation Minister Jiří Dienstibier, who was also the chair of the Czech Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs. The newly-appointed Human Rights Minister is the lawyer and Social Democratic MP Jan Chvojka.  full story

Czech MP Jeroným Tejc wants to propose amendment to accelerate deportations and alter Charter of Fundamental Rights

16.11.2016 7:33 The Czech MP Jeroným Tejc (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) wants to propose an amendment to the law on asylum to accelerate the process of deportation for rejected asylum seekers. He is also considering altering or eliminating the article in the Czech Republic's Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms that guarantees the right to asylum to foreign nationals who have been persecuted elsewhere for asserting their political rights and freedoms.  full story

Czech Television reports hundreds of Romani people to become homeless in the New Year

15.11.2016 8:39 Hundreds of impoverished people in Brno, the second-largest city in the Czech Republic, may end up homeless after 1 January 2017. The Dolfin Real Estate company is selling as many as eight apartment buildings in the neighborhood around Cejl Street where dozens of mainly Romani families with small children currently live.  full story