European court upholds ban of Czech extremist party

The European Court of Human Rights has upheld a ban imposed in 2010 on the Czech extremist Workers Party by the country’s Supreme Administrative Court. The Czech Justice Ministry said on Wednesday the European Court rejected a complaint against the ban filed by the group’s former leader, Tomáš Vandas. The far-right Workers’ Party was dissolved in February 2010 upon the government’s request; the cabinet claimed the group incited tensions in the society, abused minorities and threatened democracy. The Workers’ Party became the first political group to be banned in the Czech Republic since the fall of communism.