Czech Republic

Czech Republic: Experts testify that police officers caused Romani man's death

Kynšperk nad Ohří/Sokolov , 25.2.2014 20:59, (ROMEA) Yesterday the trial continued of two police officers from the Czech town of Kynšperk nad Ohří charged with the negligent homicide of a local citizen during a routine patrol in May 2012. This second day of the main hearing was a real delicacy for connoisseurs, as the cream of Prague's forensic medical experts gave testimony in the courtroom of this small border town.  full story

Czech TV defends serial's depiction of Roma

Prague, 25.2.2014 19:46, (ROMEA) News server Lidovky.cz reports that Czech Television and its inspection board have closed their discussion of the depiction of minorities in the serial "Ambulance 2" (Sanitka 2). Czech TV claims that all of the situations filmed for the serial are in order because they are based on the actual experiences of ambulance workers and contemporary reality.  full story

Czech ombud wants to help social housing, win greater respect

Prague, 24.2.2014 18:05, (ROMEA) In her role as ombud, Anna Šabatová wants to contribute to the creation of a functional social housing system in the Czech Republic and to win more respect from politicians for the Final Statements issued by the Office of the Public Defender of Rights. Speaking on the Czech Television (ČT) program "Questions with Václav Moravec", she said her predecessor, Pavel Varvařovský, may sometimes have relied too much on written communications with politicians, and when that wasn't effective, he may have reconciled himself to failure "a bit early".  full story

Czech police officers testify about 2012 death of Romani man

Sokolov, 23.2.2014 19:26, (ROMEA) Last week two police officers from the Czech town of Kynšperk nad Ohří began giving testimony before the District Court in Sokolov in the trial of a negligent homicide. The indictment charges them with having committed the offense in May 2012 while they were attempting to arrest Ludovít Kašpar, a Romani suspect who collapsed during the intervention and died in hospital two days later.  full story

Czech trial of incident that sparked anti-Romani unrest to resume 7 March

Ústí nad Labem, 22.2.2014 19:34, (ROMEA) Markéta Morkusová, spokesperson for the Regional Court in Ústí nad Labem, has informed the Czech News Agency that the main hearing in the trial of a brutal assault committed in Duchcov (Teplice district) last year has been postponed. The indictment charges five people with perpetrating the attack, one of whom is a juvenile.  full story

Romani athletes at the Olympics

Brno, 21.2.2014 19:18, (ROMEA) Boxing and gymnastics are the main disciplines in which Romani athletes excel. Some have even represented the Czech Republic at the Olympic games.  full story

Czech NGO: If you don't open the schools to Roma, how can they get jobs?

Brno, 21.2.2014 18:54, (ROMEA) IQ Roma servis, an NGO based in Brno, Czech Republic, sees its main task as convincing Romani people that it is important to attend better schools and convincing Czech parents that the presence of Romani pupils is no reason to enroll their own children elsewhere. The 45 staff and 50 volunteers with the organization help Romani people find jobs, get educations, and reduce their indebtedness.  full story

Hindus want withdrawal of Roma-stereotyping Czech police coloring book

Nevada/Prague, 21.2.2014 10:45, (ROMEA) Hindus want immediate withdrawal of Czech Police coloring book POLDOVY OMALOVANKY, reportedly meant for distribution in kindergartens and primary schools.  full story

Czech Republic: Number of victims of hate violence rose in 2013

Prague, 20.2.2014 19:07, (ROMEA) Last year in the Czech Republic the number of victims of hate violence motivated by nationality, religion, sexual orientation or skin color rose year-on-year from 38 to 211 cases. Those numbers are based on police statistics acquired by the In IUSITITIA organization, which helps the victims of violence motivated by prejudice.  full story

Czech Human Rights Minister drafting law to compensate illegally sterilized women

Prague, 19.2.2014 18:55, (ROMEA) News server iDNES.cz reports that illegally sterilized women in the Czech Republic have not yet been compensated. Two years ago the Czech Government Human Rights Council recommended the cabinet compensate them, but it has not yet happened.  full story

Czech Police coloring book shows a Romani man as a dangerous pedophile

Prague, 18.2.2014 22:00, (ROMEA) When trying to prevent crime, it is definitely good to think of all possible variations of dangerous situations, especially where children are concerned. However, when a coloring book intended for children in nursery school and the lower grades of primary school features a figure whose face is prominently reminiscent of a representative of the Romani minority, and when such a figure plays only one role - evidently that of a dangerous pedophile - that really does call for some reflection.  full story

Czech Republic: Trial begins of Roma man's death at the hands of police

Kynšperk nad Ohří / Sokolov, 18.2.2014 20:58, (ROMEA) Unlike other trials attended by this reporter, this time all the journalists stayed in the courtroom until the performance was over. They were enthusiastic about the plot of this new "thriller" and the mysterious grimacing of District Court Milan Tomeš, who was somewhat reminiscent of Robert De Niro in his dark glasses.  full story

New Czech ombud wants expanded powers

Brno, 18.2.2014 17:44, (ROMEA) Anna Šabatová, the newly-appointed ombud in the Czech Republic, wants to achieve greater respect for the Office of the Public Defender of Rights and to improve its cooperation with the authorities. Šabatová gave her remarks to the press during her travel to Brno, where she was scheduled to meet with staff this afternoon.  full story

Czech Republic: Victims' attorney believes attack was racially motivated, opposes collective blame

Ústí nad Labem, 18.2.2014 16:33, (ROMEA) Today the Regional Court in Ústí nad Labem began to hear the case of a brutal assault committed last year against a married couple in the town of Duchcov (Teplice district). The indictment charges five people, including one juvenile, with perpetrating the attack.  full story

Czech Republic: Trial begins of incident that sparked anti-Romani unrest last year

Ústí nad Labem, 17.2.2014 19:56, (ROMEA) The Regional Court in Ústí nad Labem will begin reviewing the case of a brutal assault in the town of Duchcov (Teplice district) tomorrow. The indictment charges five people with attacking a married couple and two of the five with also beating up an elderly man.  full story

Roma in the Czech Republic losing their language, parents not speaking it with children

Prague, 16.2.2014 19:38, (ROMEA) News server iDNES.cz reports that Romani people in the Czech Republic are gradually losing their knowledge of the language of their forebears. Children in particular are not mastering Romanes.  full story

videoCzech town councilor: Yesterday was a disgrace to Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary, 16.2.2014 18:27, (ROMEA) Nazis wearing Fascist symbols and carrying torches marched through the Czech town of Karlovy Vary up to the colonnade yesterday. Accompanied by the Hitlerite rhythm of several drums, they closed off the destination for an hour as their speeches, 80 % of which were in German, resounded through the space.  full story

Czech Republic: Victims of assault say "Don't blame all Roma"

Duchcov, 15.2.2014 20:53, (ROMEA) The married couple who became the target of a brutal attack last year in the town of Duchcov have called on the Czech media to take a sensitive approach to their case, which will go to trial at the end of February. In a letter to the media, the couple emphasize that they do not want the attack against them to be interpreted as an attack by "the Roma against whites or to serve as a pretext for hatred and the incitement of racial intolerance".  full story

videoCzech and German neo-Nazis march with flaming torches through Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary, 15.2.2014 20:07, (ROMEA) According to information from the Czech Police, about 100 neo-Nazis from the Czech Republic and Germany came to Karlovy Vary on Saturday for an assembly which organizers claimed was intended to honor the victims of bombardment during WWII. About 50 anti-Fascists protested against their march through the town.  full story

Czech Republic: Only 30 neo-Nazis protested ROMEA in Příbram

Příbram, 15.2.2014 19:33, (ROMEA) A mere 30 neo-Nazis ultimately made it to the assembly today in Příbram to protest against the ROMEA organization. Dozens of police officers, an anti-conflict team and a helicopter were deployed for the event.  full story