Overview of Human Rights in Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a constitutional democracy. While the government works to respect the human rights of its citizens, there were a few human rights abuses reported in recent years.

Several cases of police brutality were noted but were not fully investigated by an independent review and, thus, there was no recourse for victims as a result.  The authorities still fail to fulfill the recommendations of the United Nations Committee against Torture and the United Nations Human Rights Committee to allow for independent and impartial investigations against law enforcement officials.

Roma (Gypsies) continue to suffer from discrimination, ethnically-motivated violence, and inadequate access to health and educational facilities. The authorities do not adequately protect the Roma, nor are they known for properly investigating crimes committed against them.

Another issue of pressing concern is the usage of metal and cage beds in institutions for children and adults with mental disabilities. While there have been reports of their usage in social care homes, there is no official data backing up these claims.  Many reforms to the physical and medical health care systems are needed in the near future.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

30th out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.