Country detail - yourHRC.org

Czechia

Regional group:

Eastern European Group (EEG)

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Council Bureau membership:	Vice-president (2006-2007, 2014)
Coordinator of regional group:	1 (2010-2011, 2016)
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2023) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2009-2010, 2017, 2018)
OHCHR presence:	– No field presence
NHRI accreditation status:	–

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Unknown

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Equal participation in political and public affairs; Moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2006, Czechia has voted in favour of or has joined consensus on every resolution tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), and country-specific resolutions under item 2. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Czechia has either voted in favour or (less frequently) abstained. It has never voted against an item 7 resolution. For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Czechia has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, it has voted in favour of resolutions on: sexual orientation; the question of the death penalty; the regulation of firearms; arms transfers; peaceful protests; and human rights, democracy and rule of law. It has voted against resolutions on: the right to peace (Cuba); defamation of religions (OIC); and a number of African Group texts dealing with racism. It abstained on the Russian Federation’s 2014 resolution on ‘integrity of the judicial system,’ and Pakistan’s 2014 resolution on drones. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Czechia has joined consensus on a majority of texts. Resolutions that it has voted against are: Cuban resolutions on the effects of foreign debt, Cuban resolutions on international solidarity, NAM resolutions on unilateral coercive measures, and a Cuban resolution on economic reform policies. It has consistently voted in favour of NAM resolutions on the right to development. Czechia has abstained on the African Group resolution on the non-repatriation of funds of illicit origin.

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

417

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
None

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

None overdue

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2008, 2012, 2017, 2023)

Mid-term report

2nd and 3rd cycles

Level of delegation

Deputy Minister

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 93 / 192

2^nd cycle: 119 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2023)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 23

The Czech Republic presented voluntary pledges and commitments in support of its candidature for membership for the period 2019-2021 on 27 April 2018. In the document, the Czech Republic pledges, inter alia, to:

At the international level: Actively participate in the work of the Council; Support preventative and timely responses to human rights violations and abuses; Speak openly on both country-specific and thematic issues, in particular those requiring the urgent action of the Council; Promote freedom of expression and information as a gateway to the enjoyment of a wider range of human rights, including freedom of assembly and of association; Cooperate closely with OHCHR, advocate for its independence and impartiality, and make voluntary financial contributions to it; Continue to support the international human rights mechanisms, including the Special Procedures and Treaty Bodies; Strongly support civil society participation in political and public affairs, and speak out against any acts of intimidation or reprisal against persons who seek to cooperate, are cooperating or have cooperated with, human rights mechanisms; Build institutions that promote the rule of law, including through activities aimed at combating torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

At the national level: Submit a UPR midterm report in 2020, and implement those UPR recommendations received during the last review;
Ensure continuous dialogue about human rights issues with academia and civil society organisations; Ratify the CRPD-OP and the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention); Promote equality, inclusion and non-discrimination vis-à-vis the Roma people; Advance gender equality; Strengthen the implementation of the CRPD, the CRC and the SDGs; Sensitise Czech businesses, in particular State- owned businesses, to human rights concerns.

An analysis of steps taken by the Czech Republic in fulfilment of its international pledges shows that it cooperates well with Special Procedures, maintaining a Standing Invitation, facilitating visit requests but is yet to respond to 100% of the received communications. It also engages strongly with the UPR, participating at deputy ministerial level. The Czech Republic also participated in the review of 93 other states during the first cycle and 119 during the second cycle. The Czech Republic continues to provide yearly voluntary contributions to OHCHR, since 2008.

Czechia

Eastern European Group (EEG)

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 93 / 192

2nd cycle: 119 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 23

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 93 / 192

2^nd cycle: 119 / 192