On Oct. 12, the Regional Court in Ostrava, Czech Republic, awarded compensation of CZK500,000 (US$260,000) to a Romani woman, Iveta Červeňáková, 30, for having been sterilized against her will. Ostrava City Hospital is to pay the damages. According to Kumar Vishwanathan of the Vzájemné Soužití (Life Together) civic association, this is the Czech Republic's first case of compensation for coerced sterilization. Holubová was sterilized 10 years ago. "She was not sufficiently informed and did not even learn she had had such surgery until seven years later," Vishwanathan said. The hospital claims it has Červeňáková's written consent on file and is considering appealing. (Romea.cz, Oct. 12)

Meanwhile, in neighboring Slovakia, police are investigating another attack on a Romani family. Three unknown men broke into a yard of a family house in Revuca Oct. 12, besieging the Romani inhabitants, threatening them with death and arson, and smashing windows. (Romea.cz, Oct. 14)

See our last posts on the Czech Republic and the Roma struggle.

See also our special report, "Roma Face Coercize Sterilization," by Gwendolyn Albert.