<nettime> Police brutality after S26

[Brian Holmes <106271.223@compuserve.com>]

Call to Action -- Shocking Human Rights Abuses Faced by Prague Protestors

Police brutality is widespread, most severe for Czechs & Israelis 

September 28, 2000 

INPEG International Press Agent 
Contact: Chelsea Mozen at: 420 604 384452 or 02 6272349 

To arrange interviews with witnesses recently released, contact Cyan at:
0605 879 504 

                    UPDATE ON JAIL SITUATION IN PRAHA, Sept. 28--The OPH
legal team is reporting that there are more than 859 prisoners being held
as a result of S26 actions. The police are reporting that of that 859
around 200 are not Czech citizens. Only 20 have been charged. 30 people
inside the jails have been denied food, water and sleep. We have reports of
people having limbs broken and teeth knocked out. One woman has a broken
spine. There is clear evidence of tourture by the police. 

PRAGUE--In addition to the mass denial of the legal rights, individuals
have faced extreme brutality in Czech Jails. Paul Rosenthal from Seattle
Washington who was released this 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." The following are accounts confirmed by people that have
been released from jail: 

Women have been strip searched by male officers and have been forced to
perform physical exercises for their enjoyment 

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 

Many people released have reported that before reaching police stations,
officers took individuals to isolated areas and beat them severely. 

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 that 22 people were crammed into a 4 square meter
cell. 

30 People were detained at the Olsanska jail in an outdoor courtyard
overnight with no blankets or food. They were later moved to Balkova near
Pilsen. 

Two Germans that were detained in Lupacova, Praha 3 on Wednesday for
approximately eight hours were held with an Israeli, an American, a German,
and an Italian. The Israeli had been beaten severely, had difficulty
walking, a black eye, and likely had a broken rib. He has been denied
medical attention 

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. 

A Norwegian woman held in jail with 30 other women witnessed a German
woman with a badly injured leg where medics were denied. 

Right to legal representation and advice, right to interpreters, right to
food and water, right to basic medical attention, and the right to a phone
call 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 near
Pilsen which has one of the worst human rights records in the Czech
Republic. 

Call and Fax:

Office of President Vaclav Havel:  +4202 24310855 fax  +4202 24373196 tel
(it would be better to fax today [Thursday] because it is a national
holiday and offices are closed) 

Ministry of the Interior: + 4202 61421115

US Embassy in Czech Republic:  + 4202 57530663 

If you can't get through to any of the numbers, please call the Czech
embassy in Washington, DC, as soon as possible:  202-274-9100 and press 0
for operator

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