Extremism

Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic
Security Policy Section
public@mvcr.cz

The Report on the Issue of Extremism in the Czech Republic in 2000

»contents

4. Crimes Motivated by Racial, national and Other Intolerance or Committed by Supporters of Extremist Groups 66

4.1 Background

Mostly right-wing extremist supporters of the skinhead movement, left-wing extremist ”anarcho-autonomists”67 and furthermore also citizens of the majority of society who do not have any links to extremist movements and do not denominate any extremist ideology in the so-called ”situational conflict” committed crimes with an extremist subtext.68 A newly recorded factor was crime with an extremist subtext committed by foreigners in the Czech Republic. A more general issue is related to this fact. It is an issue of ”extremist tourism” conducted especially by members of the right-wing scene from Germany. Racial manifestations during sport matches are seen as an increasing trend, predominantly in situations when supporters of the skinhead movement transfer their activities to stadiums.

As in previous years, an occurrence of crimes with an extremist subtext remained the same in terms of their percentage share in total crime– not very high. No terrorist crimes were committed in connection with extremism. No information confirming offences committed by sects was proven either. The relevant state bodies, regarding state security, need to protect the current constitutional establishment and also pay attention to the activities of organisationswhich profess an active return to the totalitarianism before1989 or to its more contemporary authoritative modification. The supporters of such movements do not commit any criminal offences, however there are serious concerns relating to their subversion activities resulting from, apart from other things, initiation of social tension in regions.

Out of the total number of 391, 469 detected crimes committed in the Czech Republic in 2000, extremist or racial crimes accounted for 0.09%, i.e. 364 offences (in 1999 0.07%, 316 offences); of which 89.9% were cleared up (in 1999 86.4%, 273 offences).

In 2000, in comparison with 1999, an increase by 15.2%, i.e. + 48 offences, (in 1999 by 137, or 6%, +183) of offences with an extremist subtext was recorded. This rise was accompanied by a higher number of offences cleared up (+19.8%, + 54) and by a higher detection rate (+ 3.5%). The number of prosecuted offenders rose as well, by 3.4% (+15). The above-mentioned increase, apart from other things, reflects a higher quality of work by the police in the field of extremism, including operative work. Simultaneously, it reflects, as in the previous year, a higher number of complaints or just indications of crimes with an extremist subtext lodged by the members of the Roma community.

449 persons were prosecuted for committing the above-stated offences, mainly for the support and propagation of movements aimed at suppressing citizens’ rights and freedoms – 195 persons (43,4%), for the defamation of a nation, race or a conviction – 111 persons (24.3%), for violence against a group of citizens or an individual – 48 persons (10.7%). 20 persons (4.5%) were prosecuted for intentional injury to health. Penal proceedings against the offenders of crimes with an extremist subtext which were terminated predominately by bringing charges against them (57%, i.e. 245 offenders); 126 offenders are being still investigated (29.3%); and pursuant Section 159(3), 41 offenders were left in abeyance (9.5%). 11 foreigners (2.6%) were, pursuant Section 173(1), were delivered to their home countries to be prosecuted there. 69

In terms of age categories, offenders of 21 - 29 years old prevailed (139 persons), followed by persons 18 - 20 years of age (94 persons) and persons aged 15 - 17 (72 persons). In the category under 15 years of age, there were 33 offenders.70 In terms of attained education, persons having a basic education and an apprentice certificate prevailed among the offenders (169), followed by persons having basic education and no qualification (120).71 In the category up to 18 years of age, offenders repeatedly investigated for crimes of an extremist nature were exceptional.

Offences included attacks motivated socially, ethnically, or racially. Offences through which offenders wanted to reach a total change of the social or political order are currently very exceptional in spite of some acts which occurred in Prague in September and which could indicate such a motive.

Extremist crimes were committed in most cases by skinheads, followed, in a much lesser degree, by anarcho-autonomists.

According to police estimations after a decrease was recorded in 1999, the number of skinhead and anarcho-automist supporters rose again in 2000. This growth was recorded in all regions with the exception of East Bohemia, where the estimated number of such persons decreased by 34.4% (-130 persons). The total number of supporters of those extremist groups was about 10,000 persons (in 1999 it was about 7,500 persons), i.e. there was a total increase by 36%.72 Taking into account the nation-wide average, the increase in the number of right-wing extremist supporters of skinhead movements (hereinafter ”skinhead supporters”) represented approximately 23%; the recorded growth in the number of anarcho-autonomists was about 65. The largest number of people leaning towards these extremist ideologies was observed in the Capital City of Prague (2,350; 1,490 in 1999), followed by South Moravia (2,310-2,370; 1,700-1,800 in1999), North Bohemia (1,600; 1,000 in 1999) and North Moravia (1,450; 1,210 in 1999). In comparison with 1999, the number of these persons mostly increased in West Bohemia (+220%), out of which the increase of skinhead supporters was 175% (+350 persons) and anarcho-autonomists 400% (+200 persons).

The above-stated figures represent approximate estimations of police experts, catching up to the approximate numbers of persons both from the right-wing and left-wing extremist spectrum who commit such offences or are potential offenders. However, it needs to be stressed that the stated numbers present skinhead and anracho-autonomist support and cannot be in any event interchanged with the numbers of the members of the hard core of those extremist movements, being ready to conduct violent acts as in their programme. Their number is lower in order.

4.2 The Most Important Cases in terms of the Police of the Czech Republic ČR

In 2000, as in 1999, no murder or severe injury to health causing death was committed.

In spite of this fact crimes committed by supporters of skinheads and by skinheads themselves were recorded in the Czech Republic. Such crimes resulted in injuries to health of the persons attacked, mainly Roma citizens. Also cases when citizens of Armenia, Bulgaria, and Sudan were attacked in Central Bohemia, or citizens of Iraq and Libya in West Bohemia rank among such crimes. The Czech Police did not consider the case from North Moravia, where 8 German citizens committed crimes with an extremist subtext by attacking Czech citizens, to be less important. 74

In terms of suspicion of incitement of national and racial hatred and of anti-Semitism, we can mention the case where the book of Adolf Hitler, ”Mein Kampf”, was translated, printed and freely distributed. In terms of Internet criminality, it was the distribution of a game ”Shoot Your Gypsy”, however the offender has not been detected.

In terms of collective breaches of public order, the Czech Police considered a confrontation with left-wing extremists during the IMF/WB meeting in Prague the most serious, when an organised group of persons collectively acting against the society faced the Police using weapons (stones, burning bottles) while the police had to use protective aids.

4.3 Typical Features of Crimes with an Extremist Subtext

Compared with the previous year, the members of skinhead movements changed their tactics. They enhanced their organisation and began to respect the hierarchy inside their movement more than ever in the past endeavouring to remove from their activities uncontrollable skirmishes with members of the anarcho-autonomous movement and other ethnic groups or dark skinned foreigners, which turned public opinion against them. Their efforts were to be perceived by the citizens, as a well organised groups, as having political ambitions and whose credo is a nation, national pride and to decrease the influence of foreign capital in our territory. The cases of conflicts caused by skinheads occurred from time to time, but they were mainly unplanned actions of individuals.

4.4 Extremist Crimes in Individual Regions 75

In 2000, according to official criminal statistics, 364 crimes with an extremist subtext were registered. The majority of such crimes were committed in North Moravia (84), the Capital City of Prague (59) in East Bohemia (56) and North Bohemia (44), followed by South Moravia (38), Central Bohemia (31), West Bohemia (30) and South Bohemia (22).22 Within the Czech Republic the share of Prague, East Bohemia and North Moravia in crimes of extremis nature reached about 55%.77 An increase in such crimes was recorded in North Moravia, East Bohemia, North Bohemia, Central Bohemia and, to a very small extent, also in South Bohemia. (+4%, 1 case). On the contrary, the largest decline of the crimes monitored was reported from South Moravia and West Bohemia and also from Prague, even though Prague preserved its specific position given by the fact that it is a large city in which the existence of all forms of extremism and xenophobia is typical..

In 2000, the increase in crimes with an extremist subtext did not stop in North Moravia,  and accounted for 55.5% (28.6% in 1999). The highest occurrence of extremist crimes was registered in the Karvina Distrcit, in the regional city of Ostrava and in the Districts of Bruntal, Prerov and Olomouc. Within this increase, there was no negative shift in the nature of crimes committed since none of the committed crimes could not be described as especially dangerous. An analysis of all 84 offences confirmed that those did not display the features of being organised and they were not linked to any political aims. They were particularly cases of mutual physical, or more frequently verbal, attacks between the members of majority and minority communities. Such conflicts were often based on the immediate ”emotional” relations of the offenders. In the police’s opinion a complicated economic situation of some parts of inhabitants also had a share in those conflicts, or they were caused by long-lasting negative relations between the majority and minority. Although higher attention was paid to those relations both from the side of governmental authorities and the police themselves, it has not been possible to remove such conflict situation completely. A positive shift can be seen in the fact that only in 10 cases out 84 an injury to health occurred. The highest numbers of cases (36) concerned the defamation of a nation, race or conviction (Sec.198 of the Criminal Code), followed by the support and propagation of Movements aimed at suppressing citizens’ rights and freedoms under Sec. 260 and Sec. 261 of the Criminal Code (19), violence against a group of citizens or an individual under Sec.196 (2) of the Criminal Code (14) and incitement of national and racial hatred under Sec. 198(a) (5). 116 persons were prosecuted for committing one of the above- mentioned crimes.

In East Bohemia where, in comparison with 1999, the number of crimes monitored increased by 107%, +39 (in 1999 27 cases), 39 cases displayed the features of xenophobia, conduct with a racial subtext or signs of similar extremist conduct. Out of this total number, 32 cases involved verbal attacks (oral, written, or printed), however such verbal acts were accompanied by physical attacks in 17 cases.78 The individual attacks were aimed not only against Roma, against other citizens or even against skinhead supporters. The highest numbers of such crimes was committed in the District of Pardubice (30). The districts of Trutnov (7), Hradec Kralove (5) and Jicin (4) displayed the highest share in such crimes.

After a decrease in extremist crimes in North Bohemia in 1999 (-9.1%), the number of such crimes rose again in 2000 by 46.6%, +14 (in 1999, 30 cases). In the majority of cases these were verbal or physical attacks on Roma by skinheads, followed by propagation of fascism and there were occasional verbal and physical attacks on the majority citizens by Roma. The Czech Police recorded activities of extremist movements in the territory of the region, particularly in the skinhead movement. In 2000, such activation was displayed by the increased number of concerts, being organised in all cases as private celebrations. At such concerts, participation of neo-Nazis from Germany was observed. Evaluating the development in this region it is required to take into account its specific features. It is a border area with a higher proportion of the Roma population and foreigners among other inhabitants of the region and at the same time, in the Czech Police’s opinion, such factors that may indirectly or directly influence the occurrence and number or racially motivated crimes (e.g. a high unemployment rate, impossibility find a job, low education of the population) are cumulated here.

A considerable increase in crimes motivated by extremism occurred in Central Bohemia (+63.2%, + 17 cases). Mostly, these were crimes falling under Sections 198(1)(a), 196(2) and 261. The aggrieved parties were predominantly the members of ethnic minorities, mainly of the Roma community. However, in 2000, there were also cases where an aggrieved person was a member of the majority society. The typology of the offenders of crimes with an extremist subtext is important. The offenders were not members or supporters of extremist movements in all cases. A ”common” conflict very often ended up as a racial attack, especially a verbal attack. Verbal manifestations of these offenders, common citizens, especially reflected prejudices and stereotypical attitudes latently rooted in Czech society.

Attention should be paid to South Moravia in the connection with its long-term trend of marked decline in crimes monitored. However, this trend can be perceived as illusory.79 Such a decline is not always, in the Czech Police’s opinion, caused by a real decrease in crimes. A considerable role is played by the fact that the offenders tried to hide a racial or extremist nature because they were aware of a stricter sentence, thus the bodies involved in criminal proceedings were not able in all cases to prove a racial or extremist motivation. Although the number of conflicts or activities of such persons towards the public fell considerably, the number of such activities was not restrained in reality and did not decrease so much. In 2000, as well as in 1999, Brno – mesto retained its first position within the region in terms of the total number of crimes as well as by an accumulation of individuals from various extremist groups. In 2000, mainly left-wing extremists were active (demonstrations, various protests, etc.)

The number of crimes having an extremist nature fell in West Bohemia by 23% (-9).

In general, it can be said, that in the Capital City of Prague, Central Bohemia, South Bohemia, West Bohemia, East Bohemia, and in South Moravia, extremist crimes falling under Sections 260 and 261 of the Criminal Code (the support and propagation of movements aimed at suppressing citizens’ rights and freedoms) prevailed. In North Bohemia and North Moravia crimes pursuant to Sec. 198 (defamation of a nation, race or conviction) dominated. The proportion of crimes under Sections196 and197a) (violence against a group of citizens or an individual) in the total volume of crimes monitored was in the range from 8.4% to 22.6% in individual regions. The highest number of such crimes was committed in North Moravia, where most (10) of the crimes resulting in injury to health under Sections 221, 222 were committed as well.

In 2000, the most affected areas or districts in individual regions were as follows: 80

From the aforementioned, the most affected areas or districts in 2000 are, from a long-term view, repeatedly (since 1996) affected by crimes with an extremist subtext: the districts of Karvina, Ostrava, Bruntal (NM), Trutnov, Pardubice (EB), Most, Ceska Lipa (NB), Brno – mesto, Zlín (SM), Kutna Hora (CB), Pilsen (WB), Ceské Budejovice and Pisek (SB).81 Measures which could positively affect this unwanted condition should be directed to these areas at the level of all state bodies.

Detection and Prosecution of Crimes Committed through Printed materials, symbols and emblems

In 2000, the shift towards hidden forms of racially motivated crimes continued in racially motivated attacks and in the spread of racial and national intolerance through printouts and self-published books (so-called samizdat). The direct, open attacks disappeared from their pages and they were substituted by ambiguous texts or by including postscripts to historical works and to fiction with the aim of making detection of such crimes more difficult. 82

As a consequence of stricter measures adopted by German state authorities against activities of right-wing extremist groups and organisations, production and distribution of CDs in 2000 with recordings of pro-skinhead oriented music groups, made illegal in Germany, were transferred to border areas of the Czech Republic. For example, 21 cases of crimes falling under Sec.261 (1) of the Criminal Code were prosecuted in the territory of West Bohemia. Out of them, it was propagation in the form of cloth badges and other clothing accessories in three cases, CDs with recordings of groups originating from Germany and promoting Nazism and xenophobia were sold in 18 cases. The highest accumulation of such CDs with Neo-nazi music whose texts call for racism and xenophobia and praise heroic acts of the Nazi army during World War II was detected at Vietnamese stalls at various market places.

A case closely monitored also by media was a publication of the Czech translation of Adolf Hitler’s ”Mein Kampf”, which was distributed by M. Zítko for free, having at least 10, 000 copies in print. He was charged of a crime under Sec. 260 (1, 2a) of the Criminal Code. In December 2000, he was sentenced for three years with a suspension of five years and a penalty of CZK 2, 000, 000.

Table No. 1
The total number of crimes recorded in the Czech Republic in 1996 – 2000 (according to the Statistical Recording System of Crime at the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic - ESSK)
YEAR crimes recorded crimes cleared up persons prosecuted
1996 131 58 152
1997 159 132 229
1998 133 100 184
1999 316 273 434
2000 364 327 449
TOTAL 1,103 890 1,448

Table No. 1 provides data on the number of crimes registered in the Czech Republic in 1996 – 2000, crimes cleared up and persons prosecuted.

Table No. 2
A survey of extremist crimes involving attacks on a nation, nationality or race or on their members or crimes committed by incitement of national or racial hatred – total numbers (according to the types of crimes 83) - ESSK
Section 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Sec. 196 (2) 85 76 85 80 41
Sec. 198 62 46 69 85 111
Sec. 198 (1a) 11 11 15 18 107
Sec. 219 (2g) 0 2 3 1 0
Sec. 221 (2b) 20 19 23 7 11
Sec. 222 (2b) 4 10 10 4 5
Sec. 235 (2f) 0 5 0 3 1
Sec. 236 5 1 2 0 1
Sec. 238 (a) 28 30 28 0 1
Sec. 257 (2b) 82 51 82 38 11
Sec. 259 0 0 0 0 0
Sec. 260 33 20 32 70 53
Sec. 261 50 62 104 107 95

Table No. 2 gives a summary of the total number of individual crimes with an extremist subtext within the last five years. It shows that while in 1996 – 1997 the crimes of violence against a group of inhabitants or an individual prevailed, in 1998 - 2000 there were mainly crimes falling under the support and propagation of movements aimed at suppressing citizens’ rights and freedoms.