Czech Republic

Czech Government approves closure of pig farm on site of former concentration camp for Roma

7.11.2016 14:25 The Czech Government has approved a bill to close the operations of the industrial pig farm located in the vicinity of the remembrance site at Lety by Písek. Spokesperson Martin Ayrer announced the news on Twitter.  full story

Renata Berkyová: Who were the guards at Lety by Písek?

7.11.2016 8:58 Even though more than half a century has passed since the camp at Lety by Písek came into existence, to this day that place and especially its story continues to spark tempestuous emotions. For some, the Romani Holocaust is one of the most tragic episodes in the life of the Czech Roma, while for others this controversial topic seems, at a minimum, one that it is appropriate to cast doubt on or to exploit as a way to score votes  full story

Czech Govt Roma Council reviews Romani Holocaust sites, victim database, and compensation for involuntary sterilizations

4.11.2016 15:38 The Czech Government Council on Romani Minority Affairs met on Tuesday in Prague and discussed much more than just the scandal in Žatec. After opening with a vote of agreement to call on the Interior Ministry and Police Presidium to report to the Council on the investigation there, the Council focused on the opening of the school year in relation to implementation of the amendment to the Schools Act legislating the education of children and pupils with special educational needs.  full story

Czech candidate for 2018 presidential run says social exclusion is a topic of his campaign

4.11.2016 7:35 The writer Michal Horáček will run for President of the Czech Republic in the next elections at the beginning of 2018. He announced his candidacy yesterday at a press conference in Prague.  full story

Emilie Horáčková calls on Czech PM and EU Justice Commissioner to focus on anti-Romani racism

4.11.2016 6:18 The Romani activist Emilie Horáčková has called on Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, EU Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová, the chair of the Chamber of Deputies Jan Hamáček and Public Defender of Rights Anna Šabatová to focus on the state of institutional racism and structural discrimination against Romani people at all levels of the local and state administration and in all bodies of executive and judicial power. In her letter, she expresses her dissatisfaction with how the Constitution of the Czech Republic is being upheld.  full story

Czech broadcast regulator says TV Prima must explain its manipulation of news reporting about refugees

3.11.2016 7:48 The Council on Radio and Television Broadcasting (RRTV) has ascertained that the Prima television station manipulated its news reporting about refugees in at least four cases and has published an analysis of Prima's newscasts focused on the issue of migration between 28 March and 17 April of this year. The television channel must respond to the Council within 30 days of receiving its call for an explanation.  full story

Czech Republic: Allegations of police brutality against Romani youths at Prague housing estate

2.11.2016 19:59 Last week a young Romani man posted on the Facebook social networking site complaining of an improper intervention against him and others by police officers in the Černý Most neighborhood of Prague. The police have decided, on the basis of the speculation that has arisen about the case, to investigate the entire situation, including the police intervention.  full story

Czech principal says new law is clarifying educational support for socially disadvantaged pupils

2.11.2016 14:22 As part of its WEEK FOR INCLUSION 2016, the Czech Society for Inclusive Education has published the following interview online with school principal Zdenka Juklová (age 59), who has led the Velké Hamry Primary School since 2015. Previously she was an educator at the Masaryk Primary School and Business Academy in the town of Tanvald and at the Secondary School of Glassmaking in Železný Brod.  full story

Three-volume biography of Czechoslovak Romani partisan, decades in the making, has been published

2.11.2016 12:30 On 21 October the Moravian Museum and the Triáda publishing house launched a new book, "Česká cikánská rapsodie" (Bohemian Gypsy Rhapsody) by Josef Serinek and Jan Tesař at the Dietrichstein Palace in Brno. Those scheduled to discuss this three-volume biograpy of Serinek included Jiří Mitáček, the General Director of the museum, former dissident and former chair of the Czech Senate Petr Pithart, historians Daniel Říčan, Petr Koura and Vítězslav Sommer, conservationist Marta Procházková, publisher Robert Krumphanzl and the author, Jan Tesař, who has worked on the book for decades.  full story

Czech NGO offers paid internships for Roma - deadline is 9 November

2.11.2016 10:46 If you would like to achieve or change something in your life, the nonprofit organization Slovo 21 has a unique opportunity for you that may never repeat itself. Romani college students or fresh graduates interested in intensifying their professional skills and applying them in their own lives, personal and professional, now have the opportunity to apply for internships.  full story

Czech Gov't Roma Council calls on Interior Minister, Police President to thoroughly investigate death of Romani man in Žatec

2.11.2016 7:20 The Czech Government Council for Romani Minority Affairs has demanded that Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) and Police President Tomáš Tuhý thoroughly investigate the October incident at a pizzeria in Žatec during which a young Romani man died. "After extensive discussion, the Council adopted a resolution asking the Interior Minister and Police President to thoroughly investigate the case of the death of the man in Žatec," reads a press release issued by the Council after yesterday's meeting.
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Council of Europe's Commission against Racism and Intolerance holds round table in Prague on Thursday

1.11.2016 17:46 On Thursday, 3 November, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), in collaboration with Czech Minister for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation Jiří Dienstbier and Public Defender of Rights Anna Šabatová, will convene a round table to discuss the measures that have been undertaken in response to the recommendations made by ECRI during its most recent monitoring report about the Czech Republic in 2015. The round table will take place in the building of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic from 9:00 to 17:00.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani activist calls on Mayor of Žatec to resign

1.11.2016 12:46 Romani activist Robert Tonelli has sent an open letter to the Mayor of Žatec, Zdeňka Hamousová. The activist is calling on her to resign from her post because of what she said during the appearance she made at last week's event commemorating the young Romani man who died there in on 18 October.  full story

Commentary: Romani children in the Czech schools

1.11.2016 7:35 News server Romea.cz published a news item several days ago about the Czech Education Ministry tracking the number of Romani and socially disadvantaged children currently being educated using the "Framework Education Program for Pupils with Mild Mental Disability". That particular curriculum has been used up until now in the "practical" primary schools.  full story

videoCzech Republic: Eyewitness video footage shows Romani man was subjected to violence before he died

31.10.2016 17:40 An eyewitness to the incident in the pizzeria in the Czech town of Žatec on 18 October during which a Romani man died used a mobile phone to film what transpired. When the images are enlarged and also slowed down, they clearly show other customers committing violence against him prior to his death, including in front of the local police officers who intervened.  full story

Edited CCTV footage from Czech pizzeria where Romani man died is broadcast, questions remain unanswered

30.10.2016 21:47 The pizzeria in the Czech town of Žatec where a young Romani man died on 18 October has provided CCTV footage of the incident to the commercial Prima television station, which broadcast some of it on Saturday evening. The management of the restaurant claims it is doing its best to calm the situation by releasing the images.  full story

Objects fly over Czech Police line as Roma insist on their right to honor dead man

28.10.2016 11:12 After yesterday's assembly in the Czech town of Žatec to honor the death of a Romani man there last week was officially dispersed, organizer Jan Čonka called on all of the Romani people present to peacefully return to their homes. Roughly half of the 500 participants, however, walked to the Panamera Pizzeria to lay flowers and light candles at the improvised memorial to the deceased that has been there since the incident.  full story

Hundreds around Czech Republic honor memory of dead Romani man, right-wing extremists assemble at site of his death, riot police deployed

28.10.2016 9:37 Yesterday in the Czech town of Žatec approximately 500 people gathered to honor the memory of the Romani man who died there last week after a conflict in a local pizzeria. Most of the predominantly Romani crowd then proceeded to the site of the unfortunate incident.  full story

Czech Republic: Non-Romani demonstrators prevent Romani mourners from lighting candles at site of death, riot police prevent clashes

27.10.2016 19:07 In the Czech town of Žatec today at 15:00 approximately 500 Romani people assembled for a memorial gathering to honor the young Romani man who died last week under circumstances that have yet to be fully officially explained in a local pizzeria. After several speeches were given on the main square, the official assembly was dispersed.  full story

Czech talk show host uses YouTube to explain TV Prima's contract with him to TV Prima and the public

27.10.2016 15:57 Czech talk show host Jan Kraus has published a brief video on YouTube explaining that the contract he has with TV Prima clearly does not allow him to broadcast an episode of his show online before it has been broadcast by the TV Prima station. He has taken the unusual step after the TV Prima management issued contradictory statements regarding why it did not broadcast the most recent episode of the program yesterday.  full story