svoboda

France: Controversial humorist could be fined EUR 30 000 for Facebook post

Paris, 5.2.2015 20:51, (ROMEA) The French Public Prosecutor is seeking a fine of EUR 30 000 against the controversial humorist Dieudonné, who testified in court today on charges of allegedly glorifying terrorism. The defendant feels he is innocent of the charges; the prosecutor could have sought a multiple-year prison sentence against him as well.  full story

Commentary: France is going crazy with the fight against terrorism - what next?

Prague, 25.1.2015 5:03, (ROMEA) "We aren't Charlie and we never will be, you band of whores. You reap what you sow," is what one of four underage students in France posted to Facebook, according to the Czech News Agency, before they were arrested on 22 January by French Police.  full story

Czech court rules publication of Hitler's speeches was legal

Brno, 24.1.2015 20:43, (ROMEA) The publication of a book entitled Adolf Hitler: Projevy (Adolf Hitler: Speeches) is not a felony and its publisher should not face prosecution. Yesterday the Regional Court in Brno upheld the verdict of the Municipal Court in Brno from last September, which came to the same conclusion.  full story

Charges against creator of Czech-Romani flag exhibit don't stick

Prague, 24.1.2015 19:54, (ROMEA) Prague City Hall has refused to uphold a fine levied by the Prague 7 Municipal Department against an exhibition of designs for a Czech-Romani flag. The decision to levy the fine has been overturned and the proceedings in the matter halted.  full story

France: 42 % oppose publishing caricatures of Mohammed

Paris, 18.1.2015 23:40, (ROMEA) More than two-fifths of people in France (42 %) believe the press should avoid publishing caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed and half agree with restricting freedom
of speech online. The French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche published the results of a survey it conducted on the issue today.  full story

Czech Republic officially recognizes more people who resisted communism

Prague, 29.9.2014 19:41, (ROMEA) Another 38 people have been recognized as participants in the resistance to and revolt against communism in the former Czechoslovakia. Certificates to that effect have been presented by Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnický (ANO) to, for example, the former Charter 77 signatory and journalist Otta Bednářová; the former dissident and post-1989 officer with the Security Information Services, Vladimír Hučín; and to Zdislav Zima, who assisted a French secret service agent; Hučín and Zima have also been awarded the status of war veteran.  full story

Commentary: Freedom of speech vs. Holocaust denial

Prague, 12.8.2014 3:33, (ROMEA) After the revolutions of 1989, freedom speech became a "sacred right" in the new democracies of the post-communist world. This was hardly suprising.  full story