Anna Šabatová

Romani women call on Czech MPs to take the first step toward compensating forcibly, illegally sterilized persons, 150 figures support them

11.9.2020 18:15  full story

Former Czech ombudswoman running for Senate on a platform of justice, in the broadest possible sense

28.7.2020 9:03  full story

Czech town puts "container housing" for Romani-inhabited locality on hold, former ombudswoman recommended cancelling it altogether

26.3.2020 8:07  full story

Czech Prosecutor General working with OSCE to prosecute hate speech more effectively

25.2.2020 8:06  full story

Anna Šabatová's term as Czech Public Defender of Rights ends: "I did what was within my power to do"

19.2.2020 7:25  full story

Czech ombudswoman: Haters online frequently refuse to admit to themselves that they could be breaking the law

5.11.2019 5:54  full story

Czech Govt Human Rights Commissioner steps down

21.2.2019 14:05  full story

Czech Public Defender of Rights recommends 10 measures to improve Romani integration into mainstream schools with non-Romani children

16.12.2018 14:46  full story

France gives Czech Public Defender of Rights Anna Šabatová its highest state award, the Legion of Honor

24.6.2018 14:25 The Czech Public Defender of Rights, Anna Šabatová, has received France's highest state award, the Legion of Honor, for her lifelong determination to fight to defend human rights and the rule of law. The honors were awarded by a decree from French President Emmanuel Macron and were give to her on Friday, 15 June by French Ambassador Roland Galhargue.  full story

Czech Public Defender of Rights says police failed in their response to shooting at children's camp

22.4.2018 8:55 The Czech Police, according to the Public Defender of Rights, committed an error in the case of shooting incidents at a summer camp in the town of Jiřetín pod Jedlovou (Děčín district) attended by Romani children from Ida Kelarová's choral ensemble. The police did not visit the camp after the shootings were reported and made light of the situation.  full story

Commentary: The local dispute over "counting Roma"

11.11.2016 8:03 A very typical dispute about the "counting of Romani children" has exploded in the Czech towns of Krásná Lípa and Rumburk. Local media distortions are a part of it.  full story

Czech judge sanctioned for articles about migrants in bad taste

12.6.2016 12:04 A disciplinary panel of the Supreme Administrative Court (Nejvyšší správní soud - NSS) has officially cautioned a judge in Liberec, Czech Republic, Miloš Zbránek, for publishing two articles online. According to the panel, both of the pieces depicted migrants and the staff of nonprofit organizations in a grossly defamatory and non-objective way that crosses the line of decency and good taste.  full story

Czech Public Defender of Rights says municipal bans on sitting in public are unconstitutional

1.2.2016 0:45 News server iDNES.cz reports that Czech Public Defender of Rights Anna Šabatová is asking the Constitutional Court to overturn some parts of ordinances adopted by the northern Bohemian towns of Litvínov and Varnsdorf banning people from sitting down outdoors on low walls or steps. Similar ordinances have multiplied in recent years, but Šabatová believes they violate freedom of movement and are unconstitutional.  full story

Czech Public Defender of Rights says human rights are being violated at the Bělá-Jezová detention facility

14.10.2015 19:23 Anna Šabatová, the Czech Public Defender of Rights, declared yesterday that the situation of children and families with children living in the Bělá-Jezová detention facility for refugees run by the Czech Interior Ministry near Mladá Boleslav is so serious that it amounts to a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights. Šabatová said children there are living in objectively worse conditions than Czech prisoners do.  full story

Czech lower house concludes first negotiations about ombud's new powers

Prague, 2.5.2015 2:35 The Czech lower house has taken one month to complete its first reading of a Government amendment to expand the powers of the office of the Public Defender of Rights (the ombud). The delays were due to a demand from the right-wing opposition that the current Czech Public Defender of Rights, Anna Šabatová, be present during the negotiations.  full story

Czech Republic: Negotiations to expand scope of ombud's remit continue in the legislature

Prague, 5.4.2015 1:19, (ROMEA) The Czech lower house did not succumb to efforts by right-wing legislators to reject the Government's bill to expand the remit of the ombud during a first reading. If the bill is adopted, the Public Defender of Rights (the ombud) would receive the right to propose that the Constitutional Court overturn legislation, as well as the right to file lawsuits in cases of discrimination; critics of the change say this would place the institution at the same level as that of the Czech President.  full story

Czech ombud could get more powers, Government to review proposal

Prague, 5.12.2014 23:54, (ROMEA) The Czech ombud will evidently be granted new powers to approach the Constitutional Court with motions to rescind controversial laws or parts thereof. The ombud will also get new powers to file public lawsuits over discrimination.  full story

Czech ombud: Number of Romani children in special education must be reduced

Brno, 28.11.2014 21:26, (ROMEA) Anna Šabatová, the Public Defender of Rights (ombud) wants the Czech Republic to reduce the number of Romani children attending what used to be called "special schools" (today’s so-called "practical schools") because the state should assist them with undergoing classic instruction in the primary schools. The former "special schools" are intended for children with mild mental disability, not for schoolchildren who are not disabled and just need help, Šabatová said in a statement for the Czech News Agency.  full story

Czech ombud: Discrimination against Roma underreported

Brno, 10.10.2014 19:08, (ROMEA) In a recent interview with Czech ombud Anna Šabatová, news server iDNES.cz touches on many current topics related to her work. In addition to discussing the much-publicized case of Muslim nursing students who left their studies because of a school's ban on head scarves, the ombud answered questions about her deputy, Stanislav Křeček, the adoption of children by registered same-sex couples, and extensive discrimination against Romani people in housing, on the labor market, and in other areas of life.  full story

Czech ombud may soon acquire more powers, bill counts on it

Prague, 8.8.2014 0:20, (ROMEA) The Czech ombud could soon have more powers than the office currently holds today. In future she might be able to turn to the Constitutional Court to propose the abolition of contoversial legislation or parts of laws, and she might also be able to file public lawsuits over discrimination.  full story