Human rights group calls on MPs to support Istanbul Convention

The human rights advocacy group Voice Against Violence has called on MPs in an open letter to continue discussing the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and to support its ratification. They say that the recent rejection of the convention by the Senate should not be a reason to stop the ratification process. The letter has the support of 50 Czech organizations.

In January, the Senate narrowly failed to approve the Istanbul Convention, thereby making Czechia one of the few European states to sign but not ratify the convention. The lower house was also meant to vote on the document, but given the Senate's position, it is unlikely to discuss it.