Minister for European Affairs: human rights advocates still arouse suspicion and distrust

Human rights and those who promote them are too often still regarded with suspicion and distrust in Czechia, Minister for European Affairs Martin Dvořák said at a conference on the state of human rights in the country. He cited as an example the difficulty of enforcing the so-called Istanbul Convention against violence against women and domestic violence. According to Government Commissioner Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, populist and extremist views are on the rise and proposals are appearing that contradict the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms. The Commissioner was referring to a proposal by Senator Zdeněk Hraba of the Civic Democrats to “banish the homeless from public spaces" and possibly imprison them. She also mentioned   proposals to do away with sex education and violence prevention in schools.