European court says Czech journalist’s detention violated free speech

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Czech authorities violated journalist Saša Uhlová’s right to freedom of expression when police detained her during an environmental protest at the Vršany coal mine in 2020. The court said Czech judges failed to provide sufficient justification for the detention, which prevented Uhlová from carrying out her journalistic work and documenting police actions during the protest. Uhlová was detained for about two hours after refusing police orders to leave the restricted mining area near Most.