2 Islam in Czech Republic Lucia Hrivňáková 7.5.2015 Page ‹#› 2_ Who are Czech Muslims? 2011 Census: o3,385 indicated Islam as their religious affiliation o1,142 mentioned The Headquarters of the Muslim Communities in the Czech Republic (UMO) as their „church“ Estimate of the Czech Interior Ministry: o11,235 Muslims live in Czech Republic (about 0,1% of the total population) Page ‹#› 2_ Who are Czech Muslims? Muslims in Czech Republic: • Ethnic Czech converts (cca 400, very active) • Czech citizens of foreign origin arrived mainly during the Communist era from Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Sudan and other then Socialist oriented countries to study in the former Czechoslovakia • Foreigners who live in Czech Republic on the basis of permanent or temporal residency permits came mainly after 1989 from Arab countries (Egypt, Syria, Iraq); the Balkans (Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia) or other countries (Chechnya, Turkey, Afghanistan, etc.) Muslim community: very fragmented, mostly well educated and economically successful Page ‹#› 2_ Islamic organizations Most of them: registered as cultural or social organizations, they are not granted any public funding. oThe Headquarters of the Muslim Communities in the Czech Republic (UMO) -only one registered as church but no special rights (right to public funding or running religious schools) - oThe Islamic Foundation in Prague (established in 1989) oThe Islamic Foundation in Brno (established in 1994) oMuslim Union of Students and Youth (Founded in 1991 manages prayer rooms in student dormitories) oSmaller communities and associations mainly in Prague (Mozaiky) or Brno (Libertas Independent Agency) o - Page ‹#› 2_ Mosques and prayer houses Since 1989: many mosque building projects, most of them rejected by local authorities who ‘responded to the will’ of local inhabitants. o Mosques: Brno and Prague (the only one with a professional imam) o Islamic centres: Teplice, Hradec Králové o Prayer rooms: Alfirdaus Language School in Brno, 5 houses of prayer in Prague, one in Plzeň and other in spa cities of Karlovy Vary, Kolová, Dubí and Darkov - Page ‹#› 2_ Media attention In the past: Muslims considered a peaceful community or not mentioned at all Recently: increasing emphasis on the “violent nature” of Muslims and Islamic teaching, predominant context of “clash of cultures” Negative media content: •Muslims as monolitic, static block •Incompatibility of Islam with Christianity •Islam as dangerous ideology which legitimizes the violence •Muslims as fundamentalists and fanatics •Islam as a religion which suppresses the rights of women •Sham marriages of Muslims with Czech women to get the citizenship •Accusations of accounting frauds Page ‹#› 2_ Media attention Positive media content: •Defensive activities of Muslims themselves oCondemning and distancing themselves from the crimes against humanity committed by Muslims abroad oIntroducing educational projects aimed at eliminating the prejudices towards Muslims (e.g. Muslims in the eyes of Czech students) oCalling for tolerance and peaceful cohabitation (HateFree Project) oPresenting personal stories of Czech Muslims as ordinary people Page ‹#› 2_ Demonstrative case I Islam as malignant ideology: 2014, president Milos Zeman: Islam is „theocratic and totalitarian ideology”. Islam is “against civilization”. "Islamic ideology rather than religious fundamentalists was behind violent actions” abroad. Výběr výroků Miloše Zemana na adresu islámu “Moderate Muslim is a contradiction in terms”. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) said Czech President Zeman should not be uselessly demonized over his statements on Islam . Page ‹#› 2_ Demonstrative case II Islam as a threat to human rights, freedoms and secular democratic state as such: The anti-Islam initiative „We Reject islam in Czech republic“, which has more than 118,000 supporters on Facebook declares: “This is a platform opposing past and current atrocities of islam, platform highlighting possible solutions to preserve our western freedom of choice currently under attack from [...]creeping stealth jihad and concessions to sharia law.” https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10550831_10152616847202938_60075432 25484931767_n.png?oh=314ec6585aafa8c98702aee35beb1548&oe=55DCBE9D&__gda__=1438922722_782407441600d4 e8e1c1c5f207ab964d “Our opinions represent the mainstream of the Czech population on immigration, integration and islamization issues.” In January 2015 the group staged a protest in Prague, attended by about 600 people. On the 1st of May the members took a part in a march in Brno, organized by the multiple extremist groups. Page ‹#› 2_ Demonstrative case III Islam as security, cultural and political threat: 2015, Tomio Okamura, who heads the Czech opposition Dawn of Direct Democracy movement, declared: “Islam does not belong to Czech republic” “according to current demographic curve, in a few decades Europe will be Islamic and there will be no turning point ” from Islam, which is “no longer a religion but military and political ideology”. He warned against shopping in Muslim shops and stated that “every bought kebab is just another step to burqas” . His statement was perceived as absurd and became subject of several jokes. Page ‹#› 2_ Demonstrative case III Page ‹#› 2_ Demonstrative case IV Czech Muslims distancing themselves from the crimes committed by Muslims abroad: After the attacks in Paris, some of the Czech Muslims decided to hold a variation on a global campaign #Not in my Name. They created a series of photographs to let others know that terrorists do not act on their behalf. It was made of twenty-five portraits of twenty eight adults and five children 1 3 4 10 Page ‹#› 2_ Public opinion SANEP public opinion research (2015): Czech public opinion on Muslims is largely formed by the media content which connects Muslims with fundamentalism and terrorism. 73% of respondents perceive the threat of the extremist Muslims on the Czech territory as real. Half of respodents is concerned about foreigners practicing their religious customs: Page ‹#› 2_ Public opinion SANEP public opinion research (2015): 2 Thank you for your attention!