Czech Republic

Commentary: Sleeping Czech HR Commissioner wakes up too late

Prague, 23.11.2012 22:16, (ROMEA) In the most recent issue of the Insider weekly, Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková has overcome her own limits and decided to take the unusual step of publicly speaking out against planned cuts to the state administration. Surprisingly, what is at issue is criticism of the Human Rights Section, which the Commissioner manages, not a more systemic critique of the mindless cuts across the entire public sphere, as one might expect.  full story

Romani people, remember your right to dignity!

Prague, 23.11.2012 21:18, (ROMEA) Do you come home from work after sundown every day only to be met with mistrust at every turn? Do you fall asleep to news reports complaining about our "fellow citizens on welfare"? Don't feel like "adapting" yourself to the general mood of indifference and suspicion? SPEAK UP!  full story

Romani student had to leave Czech schools for success

Prague, 23.11.2012 20:46, (ROMEA) News server Novinky.cz has published the following interview with Magdaléna Karvayová, a Romani woman who has made it to higher education despite enduring discrimination because of her skin color in the Czech Republic. From an early age she faced hatred, never had many friends at school, and was slighted by her teachers even though her grades showed she was a gifted pupil. She enrolled in an international academic high school in order to escape that unpleasant environment and enjoyed success there. For a long time no one believed she could do it, but in the end she has blazed a viable trail for her younger brothers to follow. News server Romea.cz publishes the interview in translation below (the original, in Czech only, is available at http://www.novinky.cz/veda-skoly/285216-romka-zazila-ostrou-sikanu-presto-se-dostala-na-gymnazium-a-ucitele-prekvapila.html).  full story

Thousands sign Czech petition for "practical schools"

Prague, 23.11.2012 19:42, (ROMEA) Some parents and teachers are defending the Czech Republic's former "special schools", which are still attended in large numbers by Romani children today, including children who are not disabled. A petition to preserve the schools has received more than 75 000 signatures. Authors of the petition plan to deliver it to the Czech Education Ministry today.  full story

Poland: Jewish cemetery desecrated in Łódź

Warsaw, 21.11.2012 20:53, (ROMEA) Unidentified vandals have knocked over about 20 tombstones in the Jewish cemetery in the Polish town of Łódź. Agence France-Presse reports that representatives of the local Jewish community there say most of the tombstones will be renovated soon thanks to foreign sponsors.  full story

Czech mayor, fearing theft, rejects Romani volunteers

Nový Bor, 21.11.2012 20:21, (ROMEA) The town hall in Nový Bor has rejected a group of Romani residents who have offered to clean up a local cemetery before winter. The mayor is afraid they would steal something.  full story

Czech Republic: Poll shows mostly negative views of Romani people

Prague, 21.11.2012 17:14, (ROMEA) Most of the Czech public (71 %) holds a negative view of Romani people, a proportion of the population that has slightly fallen since April of this year. On the question of whether those polled fear Romani people, the public is divided into almost completely equal camps (43 % are afraid of Romani people, 44 % are not). Not quite one-fifth of the citizens polled (16 %) expressed sympathy for movements or people who use violence against members of the Romani minority. On the other hand, a two-thirds majority claimed to reject such behavior. Since last year the number of people representing that opinion has significantly risen.  full story

Czech victim of "machete attack" reportedly has neo-Nazi past, knew attacker

Nový Bor/Prague, 20.11.2012 23:39, (ROMEA) New facts are coming to light in the case of last year's brawl in the "Pivní pomoc" bar in the town of Nový Bor, which the Czech media refer to as the "machete attack" case. Defense attorney Klára Samková has claimed the conflict was not the first between the two groups involved, and that assertion has been upheld. One of the defendants, Antonín Sinu, and one of the victims have faced off at least one time previously during a different mass brawl, when neo-Nazis were celebrating the birthday of Adolf Hitler in a restaurant in Nový Bor. Their involvement in that incident has been confirmed by Regional State Prosecutor Radim Kadlček.  full story

Czech Republic: Neo-Nazis convene on Velvet Revolution anniversary

Brno, 19.11.2012 16:31, (ROMEA) Approximately 150 promoters of neo-Nazism marched through the center of Brno on Saturday 17 November chanting slogans against capitalism and the government and calling for "real democracy". Police spokesperson Petra Vedrová said no illegal behavior was observed. Officers monitored the event from a distance and there was no street deployment of their riot units.  full story

videoCzech Republic: Equal Opportunities Party chair addresses thousands

Prague, 19.11.2012 2:04, (ROMEA) On Saturday 17 November thousands of people attended a demonstration in the center of Prague convened by labor unions and several civic initiatives in order to protest against the Czech government. Speakers demanded the departure of the cabinet of Petr Nečas (Civic Democrats - ODS) and early elections.  full story

Czech EdMin wants stricter criteria for practical school enrollment

Prague, 17.11.2012 20:00, (ROMEA) The Czech Education Ministry wants to change the methods used for evaluating candidates for the practical (previously called the "special") schools. Within two years, preparatory classes at these schools will be closed, as will pupils' so-called diagnostic stays in them. Those are the conclusions of working materials which the ministry will present in December to the Council of Europe. The materials, which have been made available to the Czech Press Agency, are the ministry's response to a five-year-old European Court of Human Rights judgment according to which 18 Romani pupils were unjustifiably transferred to "special schools".  full story

Roma segregation remains a serious problem in the Czech Republic

16.11.2012 16:50 “The “practical schools” in the Czech Republic perpetuate segregation of Roma children, inequality and racism. They should be phased out and replaced by mainstream schools that need to be properly prepared to host and provide support to all pupils, irrespective of their ethnic origin. There are certain examples in the country that show the feasibility of this necessary paradigm shift, which will require the government’s political will and sustained commitment”, stated the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, after his four-day visit to the Czech Republic.  full story

Will professional fostering empty the Czech orphanages next year?

Prague, 16.11.2012 16:44, (ROMEA) TV RTM reports that recently-approved Law No. 359 on the legal and social protection of children will take effect as of 2013 in the Czech Republic. Through this amendment, legislators have decided to replace institutional care for abandoned children with foster care. Over time, this means some orphanages may be at risk of losing their clients.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani students meet with CoE Human Rights Commissioner

Prague, 16.11.2012 16:00, (ROMEA) A round table was held in Prague this week between those involved in the D.H. case, Romani student representatives, First Deputy Education Minister Jiří Nantl, and Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks. Video of the press conference held after the round table is available at http://www.romea.cz/cz/video/konference-seminare/sestrih-tiskove-konference-po-kulatem-stolu-ucastniku-pripadu-d-h-a-romskych-studentu (in Czech only).  full story

Czech PM meets with CoE Human Rights Commissioner on inclusion

Prague, 15.11.2012 17:40, (ROMEA) Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas believes inclusive education as an instrument for incorporating vulnerable groups into society is one of the key tools of Czech minority policy. Nečas familiarized Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muižnieks with the Czech Government's position on this issue today. Muižnieks, who is originally from Latvia, is on a regular visit to the Czech Republic as one of the European Union Member States.  full story

Czech court fails to compensate Romani family attacked by racists

Klatovy, 15.11.2012 16:38, (ROMEA) Members of a Romani family who were violently assaulted by racists in the Czech town of Nýrsko at the start of August 2011 have not been awarded compensation through the criminal courts. The District Court in Klatovy has rejected their request and instructed them to file a civil complaint in order to secure compensation. The state prosecutor will not be appealing the verdict.  full story

Czech Embassy Protest Over School Apartheid

London, 15.11.2012 15:17, (ROMEA) Showing solidarity with events in Ostrava, Prague and elsewhere, Roma and supporters from several countries protested outside the Czech Embassy in London on 13 November against the failure of authorities there to end apartheid in schools despite a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights.  full story

Czech Govt takes report on Romani minority under advisement

Prague, 14.11.2012 23:23, (ROMEA) The Government today took under advisement a report on the state of the Romani minority in the Czech Republic for the year 2011 but will not be taking any follow-up action to it. The aim of the report was to evaluate the development and fruitfulness of measures underway in this area.  full story

Czech Govt proposes closing Human Rights Section

Prague, 14.11.2012 16:31, (ROMEA) The Office of the Czech Government has announced through its spokesperson Michal Schuster that it is preparing for possible changes in its organization. One of them might even be the closing of the Human Rights Section there and the transfer of its advisory bodies to various ministries. News server Aktuálně.cz quotes the daily Insider's previous reporting on this issue and says Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková has confirmed it is a possibility. The Government is arguing that the step would increase the efficiency of the state administration and reduce operational costs.  full story

Czech Republic: Nazi graffiti at primary school in Jihlava - again

Jihlava, 13.11.2012 22:13, (ROMEA) Deník.cz reports that a right-wing extremist vandal struck again last weekend at the Jungmannova Primary School in the Czech town of Jihlava. Two Nazi swastikas and the inscription "Sieg Heil" have turned up on the wall of the school gym in the exact same spot that similar graffiti appeared a month ago.  full story