Attacks on the Press in 2004 - Czech Republic
| Publisher | Committee to Protect Journalists |
| Publication Date | February 2005 |
| Cite as | Committee to Protect Journalists, Attacks on the Press in 2004 - Czech Republic, February 2005, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/47c566d228.html [accessed 21 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
2004 Documented Cases – Czech Republic
JANUARY 17, 2004
Posted: January 23, 2004
Tomas Nemecek, Respekt
ATTACKED
Nemeck, editor-in-chief of the independent weekly Respekt, which is based in the Czech Republic's capital, Prague was attacked by two unidentified men in their early 20s. The men assaulted Nemecek while he was leaving a grocery store near his home in Prague. They sprayed tear gas in Nemecek's face, threw him to the ground, and repeatedly kicked him in the head and chest, according to local press reports.
Nemecek was hospitalized with cuts, bruises, and a minor concussion, said Katerina Safarikova, head of Respekt's economics department.
The police have initiated an investigation into the incident but have not determined the motive of the attackers, said the local press reports.
Safarikova pointed out that Nemecek was not robbed and said she and her colleagues believe that the attack could be related to the weekly's investigations. Respekt published a series of articles in recent weeks highlighting the failure of the police in the northern Bohemian towns of Most and Litvinov to crack down on criminal gangs extorting money from local businesses, Safarikova said. She told CPJ that other Czech media picked up the story, highlighting the inability or unwillingness of the local police to investigate the gangs.
Respekt is known for exposing corruption and has faced numerous politically motivated lawsuits stemming from its critical reporting. Three days prior to the attack, on January 14, the Prague Court ordered Respekt to apologize to Interior Minister Stanislav Gross for writing about his alleged phone calls to a brothel, the Czech News Agency reported.
