tisková zpráva

ROMEA: Human rights defenders backed the Roma, mayor and police backed the neo-Nazis in Nový Bydžov

Prague/Nový Bydžov, 14.3.2011 17:44, (ROMEA) The ROMEA, o.s. civic association expresses its outrage at the activities of the Police of the Czech Republic and the municipal authorities of the town of Nový Bydžov during Saturday's action by the DSSS and the neo-Nazi groups National Resistance and the Autonomous Nationalists. We very much appreciate and thank everyone who protested in Nový Bydžov against neo-Nazism and racism.  full story

Civil society members of Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs demand investigation of police brutality in Nový Bydžov

Prague, 14.3.2011 16:41, (ROMEA) The civil society members of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs demand an investigation of the justification for the disproportionate police intervention during which mounted officers charged a peaceful demonstration against the DSSS and beat the demonstrators with truncheons in Nový Bydžov on 12 March 2011. The members are outraged by the course of the DSSS demonstration there. They have sent an open letter to Czech Interior Minister Radek John, which news server Romea.cz publishes in full below.  full story

Czech Green Party: Mayor of Nový Bydžov has opened the way for the dissemination of extremism

Nový Bydžov, 14.3.2011 2:29, (ROMEA) The Green Party is very disturbed that the Police of the Czech Republic did not manage to correctly handle the situation in Nový Bydžov yesterday. Even though civil rights activists and political representatives called on the police in advance to not underestimate the situation and prepare for possible illegal behavior on the part of the neo-Nazis, police chose instead to intervene with force against peaceful civilian activists.  full story

Civil society members of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs strongly criticize EdMin, the Czech Decade presidency, and the Agency for Social Inclusion

Pozlovice, 11.3.2011 18:48, (ROMEA) The civil society members of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community affairs have convened a meeting at which they have strongly criticized various steps taken by the Government toward the Roma community. In a declaration which news server Romea.cz publishes in full below, the members criticize Czech Education Minister Josef Dobeš; the choice of the J.A. Komenský Pedagogical Museum in Prague to implement the construction of a Roma Holocaust Memorial in Hodonín by Kunštát; the Government's implementation of activities as part of the Decade of Roma Inclusion; and the activity of the Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities. The members expressed appreciation only for the recent change in the Commission's status.  full story

Civil society members of Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs to protest in Nový Bydžov

Pozlovice, 11.3.2011 16:59, (ROMEA) The civil society members of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs have expressed support for the Nový Bydžov is not alone! Initiative, which will demonstrate against neo-Nazism in Nový Bydžov on Saturday, 12 March. In their declaration, the civil society members strongly condemn the anti-Roma demonstration being convened by neo-Nazi organizations and criticize the local government of Nový Bydžov for its anti-Roma approach. News server Romea.cz publishes their declaration in full below.  full story

AI and ERRC call for protection of the Roma in Nový Bydžov from neo-Nazis

Budapest/London, 11.3.2011 15:54, (ROMEA) Amnesty International and the European Roma Rights Centre have called on the Czech authorities to ensure protection for Roma people living in Nový Bydžov during an upcoming gathering of the Workers' Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - DSSS). The gathering is planned for tomorrow, Saturday, 12 March 2011.  full story

Nový Bydžov is not alone! Initiative calls on Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner to actively participate

Prague, 10.3.2011 15:56, (ROMEA) )The Nový Bydžov is not alone! Initiative has called on Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková to personally participate in the gathering against (neo)Nazism and the inculcation of collective blame against Roma people on Saturday 12 March. The gathering is taking place in response to a (neo)Nazi march through the town of Nový Bydžov that same day.  full story

EU strategy on Roma inclusion: MEPs set out priorities

Strasbourgh, 23.2.2011 10:50, (ROMEA) Europe's 10-12 million Roma should benefit from EU-wide measures to promote thaniční EUeir social, cultural and economic integration, said the Civil Liberties Committee on Monday. With a view to the presentation of the Commission's EU strategy for Roma inclusion, the committee outlined its priorities, including equal access to employment and education, protecting fundamental rights, better use of EU funding and involving Roma women in policy development.  full story

Czech Green Party: Mayors' proposals echo approaches taken by totalitarian regimes

Prague, 23.2.2011 0:32, (ROMEA) The Czech Green Party is sharply protesting against the proposals made by mayors at a recent meeting in the town of Nový Bydžov to make Czech legislation more repressive with respect to socially excluded citizens. Last week Mayor Louda (ODS) and Czech MP Řápková (ODS) invited more than 50 mayors to challenge the Government of the Czech Republic to adopt their proposed amendments.  full story

Czech anti-hate crime NGO: 90 % of hate crimes never reported

Prague, 11.2.2011 15:23, (ROMEA) In IUSTITIA, the only NGO in the Czech Republic to provide assistance to victims of violent hate crime, has celebrated its second anniversary by issuing the publication "Forgotten Victims: Violent hate crime and counseling for victims in the Czech Republic". "During our two years of existence we have provided legal advice to more than 30 long-term clients who were attacked because of their skin color, ethnicity or nationality, religious affiliation, or sexual orientation," says Klára Kalibová, who founded the organization.  full story

Czech Inclusion Agency stops working in town to protest segregation

Prague, 3.2.2011 16:52, (ROMEA) The Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities will be extending its work through the end of 2010 in six of 13 pilot localities: Břeclav, Cheb, Litvínov, Most, Ústí nad Labem and the Šluknovsko district. The agency is leaving the town of Holešov altogether to protest the segregation in housing that has been implemented by the town leadership there. Members of the Agency's Monitoring Committee made the decision yesterday.  full story

Czech Agency for Social Inclusion: Mayor of Nový Bydžov is exacerbating the situation

Prague, 13.1.2011 23:10, (ROMEA) On Monday, 10 January, the online news server lidovky.cz published an interview with the mayor of Nový Bydžov, Pavel Louda. Through the comments made in that interview, Mayor Louda is continuing to exacerbate the situation in his town.  full story

Czech group to protest corruption in foreigners' health insurance

Prague, 20.12.2010 16:22, (ROMEA) Tomorrow, Tuesday, 21 December, a "happening" will take place to protest ongoing corruption in the process of approving commercial health insurance for foreigners in the Czech Republic. The event by the ProAlt Initiative for Criticism of Reforms and Support for Alternatives will be held at 11:30 AM in front of the Chamber of Deputies on the occasion of the approval of an amendment to the law on the residence of foreigners. The Czech Senate previously returned the amendment to the lower house; it now contains new legal arrangements for the commercial health insurance of foreigners.  full story

Czech Republic continues to discriminate despite Strasbourg verdict

Prague, 19.11.2010 16:21, (ROMEA) Yesterday in Prague a round table was held on the occasion of the third anniversary of the European Court for Human Rights (ECtHR) judgment which found the Czech Republic guilty of discriminating against Roma children in their access to education. The aim of the discussion, which was attended by representatives of various ministries, state institutions and nonprofit organizations, was to summarize the current situation and to highlight key measures which must be adopted without delay.  full story

Jews & Hindus critical of Swiss campaign maligning Roma

Nevada, 7.10.2010 10:16, (ROMEA) Hindus and Jews have strongly criticized the advertising campaign in Switzerland reportedly likening Roma migrants to rats and thieves, calling it racist and xenophobic.  full story

Litvínov Vice-Mayor: Roma from Slovakia are a security risk, send them back

Litvínov, 5.9.2010 14:33, (ROMEA) Several more Roma families from Slovakia have begun renting private apartments at the Janov housing estate in Litvínov. The town hall is alarmed by the situation and intends to address it without delay. “We consider Slovak Roma families a security risk, so we will treat them as one. We are seeking a way to return Slovak Roma back to their homeland,” Vice-Mayor Martin Klika announced in a press release.  full story

IQ Roma servis: Břeclav daily reports on Czech-Roma relations one-sidedly

Břeclav, 10.8.2010 16:20, (ROMEA) For quite some time, the Břeclav daily paper has been publishing articles about Czech-Roma relations which we believe are misleading and one-sided. We consider the rumors spread by the daily about discounted prices for Roma at the local swimming pool, or its linking of crime reports exclusively to the Břeclav Roma, to be manipulative and populist, given that they were published during the run-up to elections. We would welcome objectivity based on facts, information and rationality from the media and politicians, specifically the Břeclav daily and the mayor, instead of these emotionally-colored, incomplete, one-sided, open-and-shut reports.  full story

New Czech opposition movement: Society cannot be cut

Prague, 9.8.2010 16:54, (ROMEA) Yesterday the ProAlt Initiative for the Critique of Reforms and Support for Alternatives published its founding declaration, “Society cannot be cut”. Today the Czech Parliament will take a vote of confidence on the new government. More than 100 people signed the ProAlt declaration on its first day. Tomorrow, 10 August, ProAlt is planning a “happening” in front of the Czech Chamber of Deputies during which its members and promoters will distribute the text of the declaration to MPs as they arrive between 13:00 and 14:00.  full story

The image of right-wing extremism in the Czech media

Prague, 14.7.2010 16:44, (ROMEA) Newton Media and Open Society Fund Prague have completed an extensive media analysis of the image of right-wing extremism in the Czech media. More than 31 000 media pieces from 1 July 2008 to 31 March 2010 were reviewed in order to capture how the media has reported on events related to right-wing extremism during this recent period of rising numbers of extreme-right demonstrations and marches.  full story

Hindus urge Germany to stop deporting Roma children

Nevada, 9.7.2010 11:35, (ROMEA) Hindus have expressed shock at reported German policy of deporting Roma children, who were born in Germany.  full story