Czech court says use of force in response to racist abuse was proportionate, prosecutor appeals

News server Novinky.cz reports that a second ruling has been handed down in a case that began in April 2017, when Mohamad Yzan Ramadan, a 25-year-old Syrian man, used force to defend himself against two youths who approached the refreshment stand he owns and began yelling at him that he was "stinking filth" and other racist insults. Ramadan ran out from behind the stand and used a baton to beat the two youths away.
A court has now spared Ramadan conviction for a second time because his actions are considered to have just been a reaction to the behavior of the people he physically harmed - behavior that they have already been convicted and sentenced for. After the incident, Ramadan ended up before a court in Plzeň on charges of disorderly conduct and attempted bodily harm.
Prosecutor Robert Merkun disagrees with the acquittal and appealed on the spot. "The court should make it clear to the defendant, who is a foreign citizen, that it is just not possible to behave like this on the territory of the Czech Republic, and if he does behave this way there will be sanctions," Merkun said.
Judge David Protiva, the sole judge ruling, said the harm to society done by the defendant's actions was significantly mitigated by the fact that the injured parties' own behavior had been inexcusable. "He could not psychologically bear that abusive bad language and unfortunately took justice into his own hands," Novinky.cz quoted Protiva, as saying.
"[The defendant's] behavior did, therefore, meet the definition of the offenses with which he was charged," Protiva said. Ramadan acknowledged he was guilty of the charges, but emphasized that he had been provoked.
"What I am being accused of is true and I regret it. However, I never would have done it if they hadn't shouted racist abuse at me and left me alone instead," he told the court.
The first time the District Court heard the case against Ramadan was in February, when it sent it to a local misdemeanor commission for handling, ruling that the behavior of the injured parties toward the defendant had been of such a mitigating nature that it would not be proportionate for the court to hear the case at all or to hold the defendant criminally liable. The Regional Court then overturned that decision at the instigation of the prosecutor.
Don't miss:
- Czech racists spread their annual summertime lies about free entry to swimming pools for Romani people
- Czech restaurant says reservations, not racism, were why a Romani group was not seated despite empty tables
- Winner of Czech-Slovak singing competition "The Voice" subjected to racist attacks online
- Czech Senator compares environmental, gender equality, multiculturalism advocacy to racism and totalitarianism at Holocaust site
- Racist band associated with a leader of "Right Sector" in Ukraine to play in Czech Republic today
- Czech hockey fans taunt Romani player with racist abuse, owner of the team they support asks league to hand down punishment
- Czech Republic: Several Romani minors hospitalized after adults attack them, shouting racist abuse
- Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion distances itself from group led by candidate for party using racist slogan
- Czech candidate for party that used racist slogan now works for new group aiding Roma
- Romani band Bengas issues new video protesting racist attacks after performer moves away from the Czech Republic
- Commentary: Czech Social Democrats have to choose between democracy and racism
- Complaint against racist election campaign in Czech town heads to the European Court of Human Rights
- Czech courts convict two people for racist online hate speech about newborn, three more are under investigation
- German MP who recently visited Czech President met with South African racists on official visit
- Fifteen anti-racist and Roma NGOs call on EU countries to commit to updating their Romani Integration Strategies after 2020
- Czech anti-racism initiative says assault on Syrian man caused by xenophobic atmosphere
- Czech Republic: Hidden camera captures reactions to a refugee family from Syria
- Czech Republic postpones reception of Syrian children, rejects EU summit on migration
- Czech customs officials detain 15 Syrian refugees at Rozvadov
- Czech Republic only accepting Christian refugees from Syria
- Czech Government grants asylum to 15 families from Syria
Related articles:
- Czech capital to see demonstration in support of Romani refugees from Ukraine calling for dignified conditions
- Tent city in Czech capital has not solved the situation of the Romani refugees from Ukraine, hundreds at main station, few with Hungarian passports
- Czech Health Minister: Room for Romani refugees from Ukraine has to be found outside of Prague
- Czech university distances itself from e-mail alleging increased security needed for dorm because of refugees from Ukraine
- Czech Caritas branch objects to Romani political party's critique of aid to Romani refugees from Ukraine, party stands by its allegations
- Jarmila Balážová: Condemnation of refugee Romani children and their mothers from Ukraine is unfair when their brothers, fathers and sons are fighting back at home!
- Prague Mayor tells Czech Govt that if refugees are not redistributed elsewhere in the country by Tuesday, he will close the assistance center
- VIDEO: Tents for Romani refugees from Ukraine were erected in the Czech capital in the Troja neighborhood
- Mayor of Prague says if the Czech state does not systematize the distribution of refugees it will close its aid center, tent city supposedly being built
- Commentary: Arrogant behavior of Czech Railways staff toward Romani refugees from Ukraine and absurd police proposals
- Romani nonprofits and civil society members of the Czech Govt Council on Roma Minority Affairs call on PM to hold a crisis meeting with them about aid to Romani Ukrainian refugees
- Czech Police seem to prevent Romani refugees from disembarking at station, but say they just informed them there is no accommodation available in the country's second-largest city