Report on the Security Situation in the Czech Republic in 1999
(in comparison with 1998)

Contents

2.11. Crimes Having Extremist Nature49)

Of the total number of offences ascertained in the Czech Republic in 1999, offences of a  racial and extremist nature accounted for 0.07 % (in 1998 - 0.03 %).

In 1999 the official criminal statistics recorded in the Czech Republic 316 (+137.6 %, +183 crimes) offences of an extremist nature, with 434 persons (+135.9 %, +250) prosecuted. The detection rate of this kind of crime is 86.4 % (273). This rise corresponds to the better quality of police work in the field of extremism, including operative work. The higher number of complaints lodged by members of the Roma community is projected in those numbers.50)

The highest number of such crimes was committed in Prague (72), followed by North Moravia (54), South Moravia (54) and North Bohemia (30).

Prague has, in comparison with other regions, a specific position since it is the seat of governmental offices, organisations, institutions and embassies.And, like the majority of large cities, it provides anonymity. All forms of extremism and xenophobia of both left wing and right-wing groups can be detected here. While in the past a number of concerts and other events were held in other regions of the Czech Republic, now there is an effort to organise them in Prague (e.g. the May Day manifestation on Střelecký Island in which skinheads from the whole republic, including foreign “guests”, took part on 21st August 1999. There was a meeting at namesti Miru (the Square of Peace) on the occasion of the commemoration of the victims of the World War Two but in actuality it was a commemoration of the war criminal, Rudolf Hess).
The growth of crime having an extremist nature continued in North Moravia. In 1999, it accounted for 28.6 % (-42 crimes). Such offences were carried out, as in 1998, mainly in the districts of Karviná, Jeseník and the city of Ostrava. In 1999 those crimes also occurred in the districts of Nový Jičín and Opava. In South Moravia, where in 1998 the crime having an extremist nature decreased by 29.4 % (24 crimes, in 1997 - 34 crimes), there was rise by 125 % in 1999 in comparison with 1998. The districts of Brno-Město and Zlín occupy, as in 1998, an unrivalled first place as for the ideas concerning such crimes. A decline by 9.1 % was recorded in North Bohemia (in 1998 - 33 crimes); the largest increase of this kind of crime was recorded in the district of Most (6 cases in 1998 (-1)) and in the districts of Česká Lípa, Litoměřice, Ústí n/Labem, and Teplice.

The year 1999 meant a significant activation of anarcho-autonomous movement. Anarchists, as well as the members of alternative movements (movement), exposed social and political “nuisances”, uneconomical and anti-environmental behaviours. They criticised fascism, racism and other adversative elements in the society. They concentrated especially on the bodies of the state administration - mainly the police, justice courts, and municipal bodies. To present their views, they organised public assemblies and demonstrations, which usually exceeded the agreed bounds. Thus, the demonstrators were confronted with the police. For those events the violence is getting higher and a range of “home-made” weapons are used (e.g. burning bottles). The autonomous movement started with strong radicalisation. They improved organisation and links between groups. The existence of a “harsh core” was proved. During the demonstrations, people concentrated in this core committed offences justifying themselves by artificially creating hate (e.g. disagreement with globalisation, devastation of the environment, wars, poverty, construction of supermarkets or nuclear power stations). The anarcho-autonomous make the current economic and political system (“capitalism”) identical with fascism, and therefore consider their attacks against the state to be a legitimate struggle with fascism. The same applies to the seats of international companies, which are becoming considered to be symbols of the current system. Their activities directed against the supporters of skinheads proved to be an even larger striking force. The series of the Global Street Parties, which came to a head on 18th June 1999 by attacking the premises of the American Embassy, and the attempt to encounter skinheads on 1st May 1999 in the environs of Střelecký Island, are, in police opinion, the most serious ones.

Attempts to legalise their activities by registration of a civil association or political party were typical for the right-wing scene. All the attempts to transform into a political party having been unsuccessful so far should have brought about a new aspect. It is the effort to free themselves from the crimes of violence. Thus the shift towards hidden forms of delinquency of the right-wing extremists, which started in 1998, has continued. All those attempts were accompanied by the effort of more intensive conspiration.

As in the previous year there were more serious breaches of peace by juveniles or groups close to the juvenile age group who were almost exclusively supporters and members of the skinhead movement. They often involved repeated offenders. Their verbal and physical attacks were directed against their peers from the Roma community. However, the victims of such offences were very often dark skin foreigners. In other cases there were attacks (especialy verbal) of a conflicting nature between the people from the social majority with no criminal record and mainly members of Roma community on the other side. The racial attacks which of the members of the Roma community against the members of the social majority were exceptional.51)

The following crimes very. The most frequentwere: breach of peace, bodily injury, violence against a group of citizens or an individual, support and promotion of the movements directed to suppress the rights and freedom of citizens, incitement of national and racial hatred. In 1999 neither murder nor serious injuries to health resulting in death were committed. However, the police recorded several serious cases including the skinhead attack to the Roma guests in the Czech Republic. For example, in the Modrá hvězda (Blue Star) restaurant in České Budějovice, or the attack on the Roma and mixed families living in a homestead by masked men in Dvorek, Třebíč region. The attack is supposed to be initiated by the homestead owner.

As in 1998 the Czech police paid higher attention to the detection of offences committed by illegal print outs - documents promoting movements directed to suppress rights and freedoms of citizens - of symbols and emblems. After the crimes committed by means of P.O. Boxes located in České Budějovice, Most and Ústí nad Labem were detected in 1998, the clamp-downs by which the skinhead movement was stricken followed. Before a planned meeting of supporters of the skinhead movement in the village of Líně in West Bohemia, the police found a lot of illegal materials in a house search of the pricipal organisers. By intervention in the main group of organisers the police managed partially to detect the whole republic organisation of Blood&Honour and, at the same time, to paralyse the activity of this extremist organisation in West Bohemia. The offender from Žacléř (Trutnov district) who produced and sent off with a collection on delivery form CDs and other goods of a racial and extremist to all regions of the Czech Republic was prosecuted in East Bohemia.

Tackling the issue of crime with a racist of other extremist subtext is one of the Czech Government's priorities. This issue has received considerable attention from the Ministry of Interior and the Czech police as well as from other state bodies. By resolution No. 720 from 14th June 1999 the Government approved “The report on the proceeding of the sate authorities to prosecuting crimes motivated by racism and xenophobia or committed by supporters of extremist groups and on the activities of extremist groups in the Czech Republic in 1998”, (hereinafter “Report - extremism”).52)

The ongoing training of the policemen involved in extremist issues is a priority. The international symposium, “The of the Police Forces in the Suppression of Racism and Xenophobia” was held under the sponsorship of the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This symposium became the most important event in this field. (The symposium took place from 18th to 22nd October 1999 under the guidance of the British trainers. Policemen from about 20 countries, including the U.S.A. and Canada, participated in this programme. 100 Czech policemen involved in extremist issues at various levels took part in it.). At the end, the participants issued a communiqué in which they suggested to establish an international platform through which the involved policemen could exchange their experiences.

166 (+28) persons were lawfully sentenced for crimes having a racial nature (Sec. 196, 198, 198, and 221 par. 2(b), 222 par. 2 (b), 219 par. 2 (g), 260, and 261 of the Criminal Code. i.e. 0.2 % out of the total number of lawfully sentenced persons. There were 56 juveniles (33.7 %), and 13 persons were sentenced as repeated offenders. Most persons (58) were sentenced for support and promotion of the movements directed towards suppressing the rights and freedoms of citizens. 33 persons were sentenced for violence against a group of citizens or an individual (Sec. 196 of the Criminal Code). 31 persons were sentenced for incitement of national and racial hatred (Sec. 198 of the Criminal Code). 13 persons were sentenced for racially motivated bodily harm (Sec. 221 of the Criminal Code), and 11 persons were sentenced for racially motivated injury to health (Sec. 222 of the Criminal Code). Three persons were sentenced for murder in accordance with Sec. 219 par. 1, 2 (g) of the Criminal Code. It was the murder of a member of the Roma community (generally known as “The Pisek Case”).

2. Crime, Development in Individual Kinds of Crime and Security Risks

2.1. Crime by Regions. Regional Variations
2.2. Misdemeanours
2.3. Offenders
2.3.1. The Crimes of Repeat Offenders
2.3.2. Crimes Committed by Foreigners
2.3.3. Crimes Committed on Youth and by Youth
2.3.4. Crimes Committed by Members of the Czech police, Czech Army, Employees of the Customs Administration and Members and Civilian Staff of the Czech Prison Service
2.4. Victims of Crimes
2.4.1. Information on Victims of Crimes
2.4.2. Information Gathered from the Research of Security Feeling and Attitude of People to Security Risks
2.5. Crimes against property
2.6. Economic Crime, Corruption
2.7. Crimes of Violence
2.8. Crimes against Human Dignity (Moral Crimes)
2.9. Breach of Public Order and Hooliganism, Street Crime
2.10. Crimes Committed on Railways
2.11. Crimes Having Extremist Nature
2.12. Protection of Official Secrets
2.13. Illegal Migration
2.14. Organised Crime
2.15. Terrorism
2.16. Illegal trade in Arms and Explosives
2.17. People Trafficking
2.18. Forgery
2.19. Drugs
2.20. Road Safety
2.21. Searches for Persons and Articles
2.22. Communist Crime Investigation

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