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Commission Report (2002): Czech Republic
The Czech Republic continues to respect human rights and
freedoms. This was the conclusion of the 1997 Opinion and the subsequent
Regular Reports, and has been confirmed over the past year. The following
section focuses on the most significant developments since the last Regular
Report.
The Czech Republic has acceded to the main international human rights
conventions (see annex). The Additional Protocol to the European Social
Charter, providing for a system of collective complaints, was signed on 26
February 2002. However, the revised European Social Charter, signed in
November 2000, has not yet been ratified.
In May 2002, the Czech Republic signed Protocol No 13 to the Convention
for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on the abolition
of the death penalty in all circumstances.
The Czech Republic has signed but not ratified Protocol No. 12 to the
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
prohibiting all forms of discrimination. The principle of non-discrimination
is enshrined in the Czech Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. So far,
however, comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation is lacking. The
Government set a timetable for the transposition of the EC
anti-discrimination acquis. On 20 February, the Government entrusted the
Deputy Prime Minister with drafting the laws, regulations and administrative
provisions necessary to comply with the acquis by the end of 2002. An
inter-ministerial working group has been set up to assist in the drafting of
anti-discrimination legislation and in the creation of a body for the
promotion of equal treatment (see Chapter 13 -- Social policy and
employment).
The internal institutional framework in the field of human rights has been
further consolidated with the appointment of one of the Deputy Prime
Ministers as chair of the Council for Roma Affairs (formerly the
Inter-Ministerial Roma Commission) and of the Council for National
Minorities. The Government Commissioner for Human Rights continues to chair
the Council for Human Rights. The role of these structures is discussed in
more detail in the relevant sections below.
The Public Protector of Rights (Ombudsman) and his Office have continued
to perform their tasks. The Ombudsman received a total of 5, 996 complaints
in 2001. A total of 3, 139 (i.e. 52%) of these have been addressed. Most of
the complaints concern restitution claims, disputes over real estate and
complaints about social insurance, the police, the army and prison services.
At 31 December 2001, the Office employed 86 people, including 54 dealing
directly with complaints; its independent chapter in the 2002 State Budget
amounts to CZK 80.8 million. The high number and great variety of complaints
received by the Ombudsman`s Office indicate that it is responding to a very
real social need.
Subsections
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