Czech Republic

Czech Senate debate on Roma integration reveals antigypsyism, crassness, ignorance

Prague, 28.11.2013 2:11, (ROMEA) The recent Czech senate debate of recommendations from the Council of the EU for effective measures in the area of Romani integration in the EU Member States can only be characterized as dense. In addition to several truthful statements, the discourse included many zingers from infamous politicians such as Jaroslav Doubrava, Miroslav Krejči, Jaroslav Kubera and Pavel Lebeda.  full story

Czech Republic: Activists want incoming governing coalition to enact Human Rights Ministry

Prague, 27.11.2013 0:05, (ROMEA) A total of 40 nonprofit organizations and several eminent figures in the Czech Republic have issued an open letter calling on the heads of the ANO, Christian Democratic and Social Democratic parties to consider establishing a Ministry for Human Rights, Minorities and Equal Opportunities should they form a government. Proponents of the move believe it would mean such issues would receive greater weight and would not only help solve country's problems with ghettos, but would even benefit the economy as a whole.  full story

Czech Republic: Roma in Brno take to the streets to talk work

Brno, 25.11.2013 21:28, (ROMEA) On 21 November, Romani residents were speaking face to face with people on the streets of Brno to tell them about the work they do. By wearing orange safety vests reading "We are working" and telling their personal stories to passers-by, those involved in the outreach are attempting to break down prejudices against Romani people.  full story

Czech prosecutors disagree on whether assault in Duchcov was racially motivated

Duchcov, 25.11.2013 17:24, (ROMEA) Six months after Romani people assaulted a non-Romani married couple in the Czech town of Duchcov, sparking anti-Romani demonstrations there, it remains unclear whether the alleged assailants will be charged with racial motivation. Experts disagree on whether the incident should be considered one of racially motivated violence.  full story

Jolana Šmarhovyčová: Six years after D.H. v Czech Republic, all that has changed are the school names

Ostrava/Prague, 25.11.2013 17:13, (ROMEA) This month marks six years since the groundbreaking judgment from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of D.H. and Others vs. the Czech Republic. That judgment confirmed that the Czech Republic discriminates against Romani children by disproportionately sending them to what were once called the "special schools" and today are called "practical schools."  full story

Czech Republic: Romani gunshot victim gets two years for rioting

Tanvald, 25.11.2013 16:59, (ROMEA) News server iDNES.cz reports that a Czech court has sentenced Patrik Tatár, a Romani man who was shot in the abdomen on New Year's Day 2012 by 63-year-old Jan Sieber, to two years in prison. The state prosecutor found earlier that Sieber had acted in self-defense.  full story

Czech-Roma NGO: "Practical school" not beneficial to Romani children's futures

Prague, 25.11.2013 16:36, (ROMEA) Staffers of the Slovo 21 civic association in the Czech Republic will be attempting to discuss with Romani parents the idea that their children should be enrolled into mainstream primary schools, not "practical" ones. The NGO's latest project, called "Mom, Dad, I want to go to school", endeavors to communicate the message that "practical schools" will not benefit their children's futures.  full story

Analysis of Czech Police strategy for anti-Roma hate marches during 2013

Prague, 25.11.2013 16:03, (ROMEA) When at the end of May the traveling circus of this year's series of hate marches first broke out in the northern Bohemian town of Duchcov, the Czech Police behaved as of "ordinary citizens" had never before joined such neo-Nazi actions before. For experts on this issue who witnessed the unrest in the Šluknov area in 2011, the memories are fresh.  full story

Czech Social Democratic shadow minister: D.H. judgment key to desegregating schools

Prague, 25.11.2013 15:42, (ROMEA) This month marks six years since the groundbreaking judgment from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of D.H. and Others vs. the Czech Republic. That judgment confirmed that the Czech Republic discriminates against Romani children by disproportionately sending them to what were once called the "special schools" and today are called "practical schools."  full story

Czech Police apprehend perpetrators of hate crime in Bystřice pod Hostýnem

Bystřice pod Hostýnem, 20.11.2013 17:23, (ROMEA) Police have apprehended and charged two violent offenders who brutally assaulted fellow customers in a bar in the town of Bystřice pod Hostýnem this summer. News server Romea.cz has previously reported on the case in great detail (see http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-republic-brutal-assault-began-with-words-why-are-you-talking-to-a-gypsy).  full story

Czech Republic: Pig farm on Holocaust site allegorized in parade

Prague, 20.11.2013 0:49, (ROMEA) On 17 November, the Czech state holiday celebrating democracy and freedom, the Slave of Race (Otrokem Rasy) initiative participated in an event in Prague called the Velvet Fair (Sametové posvícení). Our particular topic was the Romani Holocaust at Lety by Písek and our contribution was appropriately called "SOMETHING STINKS HERE".  full story

Czech Green Party chair: Roma school segregation deeply engrained

Prague, 19.11.2013 21:23, (ROMEA) Last week marked six years since the groundbreaking judgment from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of D.H. and Others vs. the Czech Republic. That judgment confirmed that the Czech Republic discriminates against Romani children by disproportionately sending them to what were once called the "special schools" and today are called "practical schools."  full story

Czech Republic: Non-Romani and Romani students discuss democracy

Prague, 18.11.2013 16:24, (ROMEA) On the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the 1989 Velvet Revolution, the ROMEA civic association held a discussion between non-Romani and Romani students about democracy and freedom in Prague on Friday, 15 November. Bára Procházková, editor-in-chief of the society monthly Bel Mondo, which works with the RESPEKT weekly, was the moderator.  full story

Czech Republic: Ultra-right was alone at the Janov housing estate this year

Litvínov, 18.11.2013 15:32, (ROMEA) Czech neo-Nazi activist Jiří Šlégr announced to authorities earlier this year that on Sunday, 17 November 2013, in honor of the state holiday officially called the Day of the Fight for Freedom and Democracy, an assembly that he called a "March against Crime and Police Brutality" would be held in the town of Litvínov to commemorate the events of 2008 there, when ultra-right demonstrators and police engaged in bloody clashes at the Janov housing estate. This year's march was planned to begin at the train station and to head toward Janov, stopping at a particular traffic circle to light candles at the places where some of those clashes occurred and then ending in front of a local elementary school after some speeches.  full story

Czech Republic: Opponents of Fascism demonstrate, less than 100 attend ultra-right event

Ostrava/Prague, 17.11.2013 21:33, (ROMEA) Not quite 100 right-wing extremists, including hardcore neo-Nazis from the Workers' Youth, gathered in Prague today at the bottom of Wenceslas Square. Their plan was to march down National Avenue, but police had to reroute their procession, as their way was blocked by around 500 opponents of the neo-Nazis' plan to abuse International Students' Day to promote their ideology.  full story

Karel Holomek: What democracy and freedom mean to me

Brno, 17.11.2013 15:29, (ROMEA) For me, democracy and freedom mean the opportunity to express my opinions on public affairs and to participate in them. When I express my opinions to the public, I don't feel restricted by anything other than the accuracy of my statements, which can be critical of abuses in society and eventually of those who personify those abuses, such as people in politics, including at the highest levels, and in public offices.  full story

Canadian ambassador to "abusers" of asylum from Czech Republic: "Don't do it"

Prague, 16.11.2013 21:26, (ROMEA) Citizens of the Czech Republic can travel to Canada without visas as of 14 November. Ambassador Otto Jelinek has confirmed that the visa obligation imposed in July 2009 has been lifted.  full story

videoCzech Republic: 41 Romani college students win scholarships

Prague, 15.11.2013 1:18, (ROMEA) On 8 November, 41 Romani college students were awarded scholarships from the Roma Education Fund (REF). The students received EUR 800 for the academic year, although students attending private colleges are allowed to request even more money to cover tuition.  full story

Time to renew the meaning of 17 November

Prague, 14.11.2013 2:08, (ROMEA) The anniversary of 17 November is over-saturated with historical content in the Czech Republic. Two milestones in the grand story of the history of the Czech nation happened on that day.  full story

Czech tabloid must withdraw article full of lies and racial hatred about Romani children

Nové město pod Smrkem, 13.11.2013 23:25, (ROMEA) The tabloid news server Zprávyextra.cz has published a mendacious, racist article about bullying at a primary school in the town of Nové město pod Smrkem alleging that insolent Romani reprobates bully children there with impunity and that the school is doing nothing about it. After a protest was lodged by the school management, the article was taken offline and is available only through the Google archive.  full story