Libuše Šilhánová, journalist, sociologist and one of the first signatories of Charter 77, has died

Libuše Šilhánová, journalist, sociologist and one of the first signatories of Charter 77 manifesto, has died at the age of 87. The news was confirmed by Mrs Šilhánová’s daughter. Mrs Šilhánová joined the reformist wing of the Communist Party in Czechoslovakia in 1957 but was expelled in 1970 for protesting against the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. She went on to become one of the founders of the Czechoslovak branch of the Helsinki Committee defending human rights. In 2001, she received state honours from then president Václav Havel. Ombudswoman Anna Šabatová paid homage to Libuše Šilhánová’s courage, saying she had fought for human rights during a very difficult period in the country’s history.