An amendment to the hate crime provisions of the criminal code was drafted and discussed at the ministerial level. The amendments would include sexual orientation among protected characteristics for the purposes of sentence enhancement.
The European Union's Victims Directive, an Act on the Victims of Crime came into effect, providing for assistance to hate crime victims. Subsequently, a new training programme for the police on specific victim needs has been developed and is being implemented. The authorities also supported the work of a civil society organization providing services to hate crime victims.
The Hate Free Culture campaign, which began in 2014, continued with the creation of hate free zones – cafes, clubs and other facilities, which declare their space as a place without hatred and violence.
Official figures recorded 26 racist and xenophobic hate crimes, including five physical assaults, seven cases of incitement to violence, three instances of disturbance of the peace, three cases of vandalism, seven cases of threats, and one other crime.
Official figures recorded 22 hate crimes motivated by bias against Roma. These included one physical assault, one case of damage to property, 12 cases of threats, one case of disturbance of the peace and six cases of incitement to violence.
Official figures recorded one case of anti-Semitic threats.
Official figures recorded three cases of threats motivated by bias against Muslims and three cases of incitement to violence against Muslims.
The authorities recorded one physical assault motivated by bias against religion and one case of incitement to violence against Christians.
Official figures recorded seven hate crimes motivated by unspecified biases. This included two cases of damage to property, one case of vandalism, one case of disturbance of the peace, two cases of threats and one case of incitement to violence.
ILGA-Europe and In IUSTITIA reported two physical assaults, including one in which a transgender victim suffered injuries requiring hospital treatment; and threats towards a lesbian couple, in which one of the women was transgender.
The Federation of Jewish Communities reported two incidents of threats and three incidents of vandalism against a Holocaust memorial, a Jewish school and a memorial to Oskar Schindler, respectively.
In IUSTITIA reported nine physical assaults, eight threats, three incidents of damage to property and four incidents of vandalism involving graffiti.
In IUSTITIA reported three physical assaults, four threats, two incidents of damage to property and five incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti.
In IUSTITIA reported six physical assaults, eight threats, five incidents of damage to property and one incident of graffiti. SETA reported two additional incidents of vandalism targeting one mosque, in which windows were broken and motor oil spilled over doors and walls.
In IUSTITIA reported 12 physical assaults, 13 threats, two incidents of damage to property and three incidents involving graffiti.
In its "Concluding observations on the combined tenth and eleventh periodic reports of the Czech Republic", the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) emphasized the importance of effectively investigating and prosecuting hate crimes. CERD also expressed its concern about continued racially motivated violence against Roma people and on the increase in racially-motivated violence against Muslim communities.
ODIHR observes that the Czech Republic has not reported on cases of hate crimes separately from cases of hate speech and/or discrimination.