INICIATIVA PROTI EKONOMICK?GLOBALIZACI
Initiative Against Economic Globalisation
Attention News and Assignment Editors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2000
Contact: Chelsea Mozen
420 604 384452
Human Rights Abuses and Police Brutality
Widespread in Czech Jails
PRAGUE - The Initiative Against Economic Globalisation INPEG) has received
numerous reports of abhorrant conditions and mass human rights violations in
Czech Jails. Since Tuesday our legal team and our jail support team have
been documenting reports from released detainees and other witnesses. Paul
Rosenthal from Seattle, Washington who was released Thursday morning from the
Olsanska jail in Prague after forty hours states, "What is happening inside
the Czech jails is more than frightening. People have no rights, they are
being beaten severely, they are disappearing. Women are being forced to
strip in front of male guards and perform exercises. People with
serious medical problems have been denied help. What kind of democracy is
this?"
It is expected that approximately 1,000 demonstrators have been arrested and
taken to jails. INPEG is having an extremely difficult time keeping track of
people detained as the legal advisors have not been able to have contact
with them and the legal advisors have not received full lists of detainees.
The following are some of the many accounts we have received:
* Women have been strip searched by male officers and have been forced to
perform physical exercises for their enjoyment. A Finish woman released
Thursday stated that gaurds made her "take her clothes off and go up and
down". The Finish woman was originaly picked up on the streets on Wednesday
in a passport check. These occurances have also been confirmed by other
witnesses.
* Several eye witnesses have confirmed, including two Germans and one
American, that Joshua Tzarfati an Israeli/French Citizen had been beaten in
jail severely, has a broken rib, and a broken arm, had difficulty walking
as both legs have severe damage, and has a black eye. The Israeli was picked
up on the 26th while sweeping and cleaning the streets. He gave his French
passport as he was afraid that he might be victim of antisematic behavior.
The Israeli was first confirmed to have been seen in a city jail where he had
not yet been beaten. He stayed there for the night of the 26th. On the 27th
he was witnessed by an American at Olsanska where he was denied medical
attention for his injuries. From there he was moved to Balcove. We have
contridictory information about his current whereabouts; no one, including
his family, his friends, and the Isreaili Consulate, have been able to
confirm his location. The French Consulate has been unwilling to confirm
anything, but he may be meeting with Amnesty International Friday afternoon.
* Many individuals are being denied water, food, and sleep; some are able to
get food only if they pay guards, women and fascists are more likely to get
water
Unite for Global Justice, Unite Against the IMF and the World Bank -
September 22-28, 2000
Press Center: Pariszka 9, Praha 1(tele: 02 6272349
(http://inpeg.ecn.cz(INPEG@onebox.com)
* An American that was released from Olsanska spoke to a German man that had
been beaten so severely that he could not hear out of one ear.
* Many people released have reported that before reaching police stations,
officers took individuals to isolated areas and beat them severely. Many
people released from Olsanska have confirmed that at Olsanska there was small
room sepparate from the holding room that was used to beat people up in.
* Olsanka police were reportedly extremely aggressive, did not speak English
(only Czech and Russian), were dressed in big blue padded vests with combat
boots, and took money from detainees.
* Two Norwegians that went to a police station on Prisparni Street near
Vlatavska to report a stolen mobile phone witnessed behind briefly opened
doors that a number of people were handcuffed to the wall and being beaten
severely. This has also been confirmed by many reports from released persons
that in the processing rooms groups of 40 to 60 people were asked to spread
eagle while they were beaten, heads were knocked back, legs were kicked in,
and numbers of men had their groins twisted or punched.
Additionally people handcuffed were tossed down stairs.
* There is one report from a person released that 22 people were crammed into
a four square meter cell.
* 30 People were detained at the Olsanska jail in an outdoor courtyard
overnight with no blankets or food. They were believed to be later moved to
Balkova near Pilsen.
* People with diabetes were not fed, people that needed medication were not
given it, the British Embassy had to intervene to get medication into the
jail.
* Right to legal representation and advice, right to interpreters, right to
food and water, and the right to basic medical attention have all been
ignored on a widespread scale.
* Czechs and Israelis are being beaten more drastically and are being
detained longer
* Many internationals are being moved from local stations to Balkova which
has one of the worst human rights records in the Czech Republic.
To arrange interviews with people recently released, contact Cyan
IMMEDIATELY: 0605 879 504
(* This letter was sent to KoPA by Wolfgang pomrehn in Germany)
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