Ida Kelarová

Romani musician Ida Kelarová on verdict against gunman: We're disappointed the Czech court ignored the racist motivation

1.11.2018 16:27  full story

Czech courts give suspended sentence to man who fired warning shots at Romani children

27.10.2018 15:32 Martin Kout, the man indicted for having fired warning shots at a children's camp in Jiřetín pod Jedlovou (Děčín district) and having racially abused both those attending and organizing the camp in 2016, has been given a conditional sentence of six months, suspended for 12 months, and the weapon he used in the crime - categorized as that of rioting - has been confiscated. Romani children were attending the camp at the time.  full story

Czech trial of shooting at Romani music camp hears testimony about shooter's verbal abuse as well

23.5.2018 16:37 Court testimony by another eyewitness to the 2016 shooting incident at a summer camp continued yesterday at the District Court in Děčín. Martin Kout is accused of having fired a gun and racially abused those attending a children's camp in 2016.
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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

Romani children from choir whose summer camp was shot at write to Czech PM, Police, seeking apology

6.4.2018 15:51 Romani children from the Čhavorenge choral ensemble led by Ida Kelarová have written a letter to the Czech Police and to Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš in which they remind them of the incident they experienced during the summer of 2016 and the fact the Czech Police have not yet apologized to them for their response. "In August 2016 we were at the Romano drom summer school for the arts. As we returned from a treasure hunt, a gentlemen ran out of his house shouting racist abuse at us. He then fired a weapon. It was absolutely close by. We were all terrified. We were afraid somebody would assault us. There were some very young children among us," the children's letter reads.  full story

Czech court holds trial of man who threatened Romani children with gunfire at summer camp

1.11.2017 12:56 Last week the District Court in Děčín opened the trial of the shooting and vulgar verbal assault committed against children participating in the Čhavorenge children's choir ensemble, directed by Ida Kelarová, in the Děčín area in August 2016. The trial was scheduled after the defendant, Martin Kout, objected to a court order finding him guilty of rioting.  full story

Romani musician Ida Kelarová to present young Romani musicians she has coached in concert Friday with the Czech Philharmonic

27.6.2017 7:21 This Friday, 30 June, at 19:00 the Great Hall at the Museum in Chrudim, Czech Republic, will resound with a grand concert performance by the Czech Philharmonic and 120
Romani children under the direction of the Romani musician Ida Kelarová. On Saturday, 1 July, the children will perform in the Social Hall of the M-KLUB in the town of Vysoké Mýto.  full story

Ida Kelarová: Czech Police did not come when we called the emergency line - they neither helped nor protected the children

12.9.2016 7:28 Ida Kelarová disagrees with some of the conclusions drawn by the internal affairs department of the Ústecký Regional Police Department and is shocked by how the Czech Police are introducing confusion into the description of how she and others reported the aggressive, racist behavior of a resident of Jiřetín pod Jedlovou against those attending her Romano drom summer arts school from 30 July - 13 August there in collaboration with the world-famous Czech Philharmonic. "I insist that the police never came to investigate after we reported the incidents by calling the 158 number," she told news server Romea.cz on 10 September.  full story

Czech Police confirm local officers did not proceed absolutely correctly in case of gunfire near Romani children's camp

9.9.2016 10:54 Detectives have again opened the case of the warning shots fired into the air near a children's camp in the town of Jiřetín pod Jedlovou (Děčín district) where Romani children were spending time this summer. The initial approach taken by police in the case was not absolutely correct.  full story

Czech Republic: Man who fired weapon near Romani summer camp apologizes

3.9.2016 10:55 "I didn't want the children or Ms Ida Kelarová to be affected. I would like to deeply apologize for my words, I overdid it. The situation was an exacerbated one, problems with noise from those accommodated at that camp have been happening for years," Martin Kout, the man who threatened Romani children from Kelarová's Čhavorenge choir at a camp gathering in the town of Jiřetín pod Jedlovou, has told news server Romea.cz.  full story

Analysis: When the Czech Police contribute to disseminating hatred toward Romani people

1.9.2016 17:38 Whoever publicly incites hatred of a nation, race, ethnic group, religion, class or other group of person, or incites the restriction of the rights and freedoms of the members of such a group, is supposed to be punished in the Czech Republic by up to two years in prison. That is the wording of the Criminal Code (Section 356), which also authorizes the same punishment in cases of rioting or conspiring to commit the offense of incitement to hatred.  full story

Czech Police investigating shots fired at Romani summer camp and local police procedure

30.8.2016 19:00 Yesterday news server Romea.cz published an interview in which we reported on an incident of a man who fired warning shots and shouted verbal abuse at Romani children participating in a summer camp with the Čhavorenge choir in the Děčín area. Regional Police are now investigating.  full story

Ida Kelarová on warning shots fired near Roma children at music camp: The Czech Police refused to help us

29.8.2016 10:46 Q: During this year's "Romano Drom" music camp for Romani children, eyewitnesses say they experienced attacks that involved "warning shots" being fired. Would you
describe precisely what happened to us?  full story

Czech Philharmonic joins Romani musician Ida Kelarová and Čhavorenge choir for tour of Šluknov foothills

9.8.2016 12:09 The "Romano drom" summer school for selected, talented Romani children from socially excluded localities is being held this year in the Šluknov foothills of the Czech Republic. A total of 60 Romani children from the Czech Republic and Slovakia will experience two inspiring weeks full of dance and music under the direction of Ida Kelarová, her artistic team, and musicians from the Czech Philharmonic.  full story

Romani children's choir joins Czech Philharmonic for 17 November celebration

Prague, 17.11.2014 5:53, (ROMEA) The Czech Philharmonic is commemorating the events connected with 17 November through a grand concert in the Dvořák Hall of Prague's Rudolfinum on International Students' Day. Young musicians in the Czech Student Philharmonic, under the baton of Marko Ivanović, will perform Czech and international works inspired by heroism.  full story

Slovakia: Members of the Czech Philharmonic to perform in Romani settlements

Prague, 29.7.2014 16:42, (ROMEA) The following is a press release from the Czech Philharmonic:  full story

Czech Republic/Slovakia: Ida Kelarova seeks singers for Romano drom summer school

Prague, 22.5.2014 19:11, (ROMEA) "Romano drom" is the name of a summer school organized by the Miret association in collaboration with choral director, musical producer, musician, singer and voice teacher Ida Kelarova. This year it will take place in eastern Slovakia near the town of Lipany (Prešov district) from 26 July - 10 August 2014, dedicated to working with 60 talented Romani children from orphanages, Romani settlements, and socially vulnerable families.  full story