Human rights watchdog attacks rising extremism and unfulfilled pledges in 2009 report

Human Rights watchdog, the Czech Helsinki Committee, says that extremism and xenophobia continued to rise and the rights of the children of Roma, foreign workers and families of prisoners remained limited in the Czech Republic in 2009. This was true as regards access to education and healthcare. The findings form part of the local committee’s annual report. It also criticised the country for only paying lip service to anti-discrimination measures and failing to live up to international human rights commitments. It also highlighted the lack of provision of social housing and legal aid to the weakest members of society.