News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

Czech Helsinki Committee wants trial of attacks in Benešov reopened

22 October 2012
3 minute read

This week the Czech Helsinki Committee (Český helsinský výbor – ČHV) is planning to ask Supreme State Prosecutor Pavel Zeman to reopen the trial of a group of youths who attacked several people in 2008 in Benešov. The human rights activists believe the perpetrators are neo-Nazis and that the sentences they received for the crime they committed were too low. František Valeš, ČHV vice-chair, made the announcement to the press.

“The verdict has already taken effect. A motion to the Supreme State Prosecutor is one option for reopening the trial,” Valeš said. ČHV hopes Zeman will file an appeal to the Supreme Court to reopen the trial. Activists are drafting the motion together with the victim’s attorney.

Neo-Nazis trained in hand-to-hand combat

A total of 12 youths were brought to trial on assault charges over the 2008 incident. The Czech daily Mladá fronta DNES reported that several of them had previously participated in training camps for hand-to-hand combat attended by people interested in Nazism. In Benešov they attacked several passers-by, one of whom suffered permanent injury as a result. Five of them were sent to prison, six received suspended sentences, and one is to perform community service. The longest sentence handed down was 30 months in prison.

Those convicted include Filip Stránský, who has been sentenced for committing a racist crime before. In 2007 he was found guilty by the District Court in Tábor of committing grievous bodily harm out of ideological motivation and for promoting and supporting a movement aimed at suppressing human rights and freedoms. He is also being prosecuted for other crimes and figured in the “White Justice” case, which police say was a neo-Nazi terrorist cell.

What happened in Benešov?

An 18-year-old youth was attacked by 15 members of a 20-member group of neo-Nazis in Benešov. The victim believes he was randomly selected by his assailants. The brutal attack caused him serious injuries with permanent results. Shortly thereafter, the group continued their frantic hunt through the town for other victims. They attacked another youth and shouted racist slogans while doing so. That victim was also treated at a hospital but was only lightly injured.

The main victim of this attack came close to losing his life. In addition to bruising all over his body, his spleen was damaged so severely it had to be removed and one of his kidneys was detached. He was hospitalized for almost three weeks and had to continue his treatment in home care. He had to withdraw from his studies and his potential position on the labor market has been curtailed because of the permanent damage he has suffered.

ČHV: Social rights and “personnel policies” are deteriorating

ČHV also reports that social rights are being restricted in the Czech Republic, that the situation for prisoners is critical, and that politicians’ recent posturing on human rights is alarming. Representatives of the committee made the statements when releasing their Annual Report on the state of human rights in the country for 2010.

“The last year, year and a half, has not been a good time for human rights in the Czech Republic. The situation has deteriorated in many areas. Social rights have deteriorated and poverty is increasing, which affects children to a great degree,” ČHV chair Anna Šabatová said. In her view, the posturing of politicians and their “personnel policies” are alarming.

For example, Šabatová mentioned that the Czech Prime Minister selected the head of the conservative Civic Institute (Občanský institut), Roman Joch, as his human rights adviser, and that the Czech Education Minister has appointed the chair of the conservative D.O.S.T. initiative, Ladislav Bátora, as his adviser even though Bátora once ran as a candidate for the chauvinist, racist National Party (Národní strana – NS). Šabatová also said Czech President Václav Klaus is refusing to sign an amendment to the Social Charter approved by the Czech Parliament years ago.

Help us share the news about Romas
Trending now icon